Ian Ross is the author of the Twilight of Empire series. The sixth and final novel in the series, Triumph in Dust, is out in hardback now.

After six books, and close to three quarters of a million words, the ‘Twilight of Empire’ series is at an end. The publication of the sixth and final novel, Triumph in Dust, brings to a conclusion the story of the series’ protagonist, Aurelius Castus, and his adventures in the Roman army of the 4th century AD. Needless to say, it’s a strange feeling.

Rachael Blok's debut novel Under the Ice is an emotional crime-thriller set in the 12-day lead up to Christmas, when the idyllic Cathedral city of St Albans is devastated by news of a young girl’s drowning. Katie Smart caught up with Rachael to find out more about the journey and her experience taking the 3-month Curtis Brown Creative (CBC) novel writing course in London back in 2016.

You worked on Under the Ice during your 3-month novel writing course with CBC. How did your time on the course impact the way you wrote your novel?

In the first few weeks of the course my word count halved. The focus on how to edit your writing means looking at your work as a reader and a writer. There’s nothing like having 15 people discuss your writing to really clarify what’s working!

I realised writing a novel is a balancing act: character, plot, tone, description etc. Some characters had to go, and whole sections of description I’d crafted disappeared. I finished knowing that reading, editing, re-reading is a huge part of the process.

Oscar: A Life by Matthew Sturgis is the first major biography of Oscar Wilde in thirty years. This most complete telling of his life and times to date has impressed readers and critics, garnering glowing praise in the press throughout October. Click 'read more' below to take a look at some of the fantastic reviews, and make sure to order your own copy now. 

J.S. Monroe’s debut thriller, Find Me, was a critically acclaimed bestseller in the UK and Ireland in 2018. This autumn, he will be back on the bookshelves, with a dazzling new psychological thriller, Forget My Name. 

Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

I live in a village in Wiltshire and have always wondered what would happen if a stranger arrived off the train from London, walked up to our front door and said she lived in our house. She appears to be in a fugue state, suffering from amnesia – something that I think we all live in fear of. Throw in the number of psychiatric patients each year who, tragically, go on to kill after being released into the community; a widespread suspicion of Russia’s continued covert activities in Wiltshire; and a local journalist haunted by a girlfriend from his distant past and you have the inspiration for a thriller that explores multiple and frightening explanations for the woman’s mysterious arrival.

We are so excited that Forget My Name is coming out on 4th October! Forget My Name is the sensational thriller written by J.S. Monroe, the bestselling author of Find Me.