I’m excited to share that I will be a guest on Radio Marlow FM 97.5’s Good Morning Marlow show, on Wednesday, March 12th, 2025, between 10-11am. I’ll be joining show hosts, Mary Flavelle and Geoff Motley, to chat about my writing journey and my books. I hope you get the chance to listen in.
If you enjoy fantasy books then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series or the Romantic Fantasy SoulMist series. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and also Sentinals Discovery, the first few chapters of Sentinals Awaken from Birlerion’s POV and get notified when my next books are published.
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By signing up to my newsletter, you agree to receive commercial information from Helen Garraway, located at 61 Bridge St, Kingston, Hertfordshire, UK (Data Administrator
Another year has passed, and it’s that time of year when you look back at what you achieved last year and plan for the next. It is still quite amazing that I have been published for four years and have 12 books published and three short stories released to Patreon/Newsletter subscribers.
I hope you downloaded the bonus free novella set in the world of the SoulMist series which I wrote as thankyou to all my newsletter subscribers. Your support makes writing so fulfilling, and your enthusiam for my characters makes me want to write more! My newsletter subscribers voted for a short story on how Felather and Adriz met.
Anyhow, back to what I achieved in 2024, and what’s in store for 2025?
I published two books, one novella and two audiobooks.
It has been a busy year, a highlight of which was seeing my BookFest Gold Medalists, Sentinals Justice and SoulBreather up in lights on the Nasdaq board in Times Square in New York. A real bucket list moment!
So what’s in store for 2025? Well I have plans for more books!
Book One: Celestial Throne series. Release date TBC 2H25
Kickstarter: My contribution: Secret AllianceReign of Dragons Anthology. Kickstarter go live: March 2025
Other goals:
Revitalise my Patreon and gain some supporters
More formal Marketing plan
Audio for OblivionGate
Create a Sentinals Wiki site (stretch goal!!)
So plenty to keep me busy outside of the day job! 
2024 was a busy year, lots of writing, though I was distracted by work as it was quite a tumultous year as the company I work for was acquired and so we’ve had lots of changes, but a year full of opportunity all the same. I am very excited for 2025 and the new opportunities it will bring. I look forward to sharing the results with you throughout the year. Once again – Thank you for all your support, I hope you stay with me as we continue this amazing journey.
If you enjoy fantasy books then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series or the Romantic Fantasy SoulMist series. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and also Sentinals Discovery, the first few chapters of Sentinals Awaken from Birlerion’s POV and get notified when my next books are published.
By clicking the sign up button above, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and the newsletter platform provider to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.
By signing up to my newsletter, you agree to receive commercial information from Helen Garraway, located at 61 Bridge St, Kingston, Hertfordshire, UK (Data Administrator
I am so thrilled to announce that DragonBound, the second book in the Fantasy Romance SoulMist Series won the bronze medal in the 2024 Global Book Awards in the Fantasy Romance /PNR Fantasy category.
The 2024 Global Book Awards for Self-Published Authors.
The Global Awards aim to discover new talent as well as recognize fine examples of self-published books. As such, we hope they will give self-published authors the recognition they deserve, whether that is in their writing creativity, or in the way they have marketed their books to attract new readers.
In this modern age of self-publishing, books need to be appraised not only by their content and writing style, but also by the way they present and market themselves to the prospective buyer, whether that is in the good ratings it has on important stores like Amazon, its book cover and description, or the number of reviews it has collected. They must also appeal to new readers so part of the evaluation included a survey asking avid readers to select the top 5 books they enjoyed the most.
The awards are grouped by category (or genre) and divided into Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Award Finalists.
DragonBound is the second enthralling book in the Fantasy Romance SoulMist series full of vibrant characters, political intrigue and betrayal.
How could so much go awry in so short a time? Crossing the divide between gloomy Eidolon and sunny Puronia was the least of their problems.
Solanji Her brother is still soulless and lost in Eidolon. Having exchanged tantalising promises of love with the mesmerising fallen angel, Demavrian, she led him straight into a trap, and he is running out of time to prove his innocence. She has no idea how to use her SoulBreathing skills or to control the dragon that comes with it, and to top it all, the Heavenly Host kicked in her door. They had better repair it!
Demavrian Ageing isn’t fun. If he didn’t reconnect to the citadel fast, he may even die of it, if the queue of angels wanting him dead didn’t get to him first. Unexpected enemies and surprising allies surface as he navigates the dark web of corrupted politics in the angel’s assembly. Let’s hope his newly independent oathsworn can keep him alive long enough to unravel his memories of what really happened the day he was cast out – and his beautiful SoulBreather, Solanji, may be the key.
Solanji and Mav may be immortal, but they are running out of time to discover who is behind all the scheming and how to redeem the soulless. When the timepiece makes it last turn, they will not be the only ones to suffer if they fail.
If you enjoy fantasy books then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series or the Romantic Fantasy SoulMist series. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
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I wish every day was World Book Day!! I suppose if we want it to be we could make it so. After all who doesn’t love curling up with a good book, a favourite beverage of choice and plenty of snacks.
Then we get to spend hours chatting about our favourite books, authors, characters, quotes, sayings, worlds, the list is endless.
I think that is what so wonderful about books, it draws like-minded people together, it grows communities, it gives people an outlet to express their frustration at a plot point, a character’s behaviour or when an author doesn’t write it how we want them to, and time to express our sheer love and enjoyment when they do!
Image: Canva
Do you have auto buy authors? I do. When I fall in love with the characters or a world, and I love the way an author writes, then I want more. I devour everything they have written. I love Space Opera, and one of my favourite authors is in fact a duo, Steve Miller and Sharon Lee. They have created an intricate universe full of amazing characters and complex cultures, and their way of writing is very distinctive as a result. If you’ve read them, I’m happy to chat about them! Who’s your favourite character? My favourite’s change every time they introduce new people, because they are all so engaging, though Pricilla Mendoza and Shan yos’Galan were the first characters I met and loved, so I guess they are my ultimate favourites. I can’t wait for their next book which is focussed on the Master Trader. Yes! she says, with a fist pump.
It brings me great joy when I hear my readers say the same of my books, characters, worlds or the way I write. There is no greater compliment to an author to be told you are a reader’s auto buy! Even the thought of it just makes me smile, because those readers get me and my worlds. We are on the same wavelength. We are our own book community.
I hope you spend this World Book day finding new authors to love, new worlds to escape into, and maybe a few like-minded folks who love the same books you do. Happy Reading!
***
It is with great sadness that I write these words. One of my favourite authors died since I wrote this blog. Steve Miller passed away suddenly on February 20th, and having been a Patreon follower of Steve and Sharon for many years, you get to know them vicariously through the shenanigans of their home and author life, and although you may never have met them, they are there. As a result it is all the more shocking when suddenly they are not. My heartfelt sympathies go out to Sharon, as we mourn the loss of such a wonderful man, partner and author.
If you enjoy fantasy books then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series or the Romantic Fantasy SoulMist series. Or try my standalone Dystopian Science Fantasy, Harmony. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
By clicking the sign up button above, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and the newsletter platform provider to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.
By signing up to my newsletter, you agree to receive commercial information from Helen Garraway, located at 61 Bridge St, Kingston, Hertfordshire, UK (Data Administrator
It’s that time of year when you look back at what you achieved last year and plan for the new year.
But before I do that I just want to say thank you to everyone who has read my books and left a rating/review. Your support makes writing so fulfilling, and your enthusiam for my characters makes me want to write more! I hope you signed up to my newsletter (If you haven’t scroll down!) and downloaded the bonus novella I wrote in the world of Remargaren as my Christmas gift to you.
I also want to thank the kind person who gifted me a subscription for my annual website fees. I am so happy you enjoy the content I post to my blog and on my website and I am thrilled that you chose to support my writing journey. I don’t know who you are, but I thank you so very much for your support.
If anyone is interested in supporting my writing efforts, I do have a Patreon, which is limping along without any subscribers, so I haven’t been posting much lately, but once someone subscribes, and peeks at all the content I posted last year, I will be much more active in 2024, I promise! Patreon levels start from £2 per month, so you can choose how much you donate.
Anyhow, back to what I achieved in 2023, and what’s in store for 2024?
I published four books! Yes four!! and two novellas and one audiobook.
23rd January: SoulBreather
23rd February: Sentinals Banished
7th June: Men of Magic and Myth (MM Anthology- Novella: Familiar Troubles)
10th June: SoulBreather-Audiobook
15th June: DragonBound
11th October: Sentinals Destiny
23rd December: Sentinals and Guardians, Novella 2.5 (Free for Newsletter subscribers)
My books won Awards!!
Sentinals Justice: Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal – Epic Fantasy
Sentinals Justice: Global Book Awards: Gold Medal – Sword and Sorcery
SoulBreather: Global Book Award Silver Medal – Fantays Myth & Legend
It has been a busy year, a highlight of which was going to Miami to be presented with the Gold medal for Sentinals Justice.
So what’s in store for 2024? Well I have plans for four more books!
A standalone dystopian fantasy. Cover reveal to follow soon! Planned release Spring 2024
OblivonGate – Book three of the SoulMist series. On preorder. Planned release date July 1, 2024.
Sentinals prequel-Part I. Release date TBC
Sentinals Prequel-Part II. Release date TBC
Other goals:
I am planning out a new epic fantasy series.
Online shop on website – make it easier to buy signed paperback and audio direct from me!
Create a Booktok store
Develop plan to crack wide sales
Audio for Dragonbound
So plenty to keep me busy outside of the day job! 
2024 is a year full of opportunity and a lot more writing. I look forward to sharing the results with you throughout the year. Once again – Thank you for all your support, I hope you stay with me as we continue this amazing journey.
If you enjoy fantasy books then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series or the Romantic Fantasy SoulMist series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
By clicking the sign up button above, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and the newsletter platform provider to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.
By signing up to my newsletter, you agree to receive commercial information from Helen Garraway, located at 61 Bridge St, Kingston, Hertfordshire, UK (Data Administrator
Last month, I travelled to Miami, to attend the 2023 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards to collect my gold medal, which I won for Sentinals Justice, in the Epic Fantasy category.
Sentinals Justice is the third book in the Sentinals series which is now complete.
Lost guardians. Tensions brewing in the frozen north. Can a goddess-appointed champion prevent a looming war?
Jerrol Haven’s last run-in with evil has left deep scars. Recovering from the torture that damaged him mentally and physically, the guilt-ridden commander searches for the whereabouts of one of his captured allies. But he feels the chance to rescue the awakened sentinal slipping away when his king requests his aid in peace negotiations at a remote and unstable border.
Accompanied by his beloved, Jerrol arrives at his destination only to discover the enemy’s corruption running rife. And after he’s cut down by a shocking betrayal, the skilled soldier’s destiny plunges into bloody chaos.
Can he overcome his failures to forge a desperate victory?
Sentinals Justice is the thrilling third book in the Sentinal epic fantasy series. If you like courageous characters, action-packed suspense, and gritty battles, then you’ll love Helen Garraway’s emotional rollercoaster ride.
SoulBreather, the first book in the SoulMist sereis was a finalist in the Fantasy/Sci Fi category.
The event, held at the Hilton Miami Airport Blue Lagoon hotel, offered the chance to meet other award winning authors, and to be presented with your award up on stage.
I was fortunate to be joined by my daughter who flew in from Canada to join in the celebrations.
Readers’ Favorite also had a stall at the Miami Book Fair where all the award winninig books were available for purchase. All proceeds went to St Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
You can find the complete Sentinal Series in ebook or on Kindle Unlimited or purchase the print copies from a vendor of choice:
If you would like to read an ARC for my future novels, then sign up to my ARC team via the link in my linktr.ee. All I ask is that you leave an honest review on the week of the launch to as many platforms as you can!! (Amazon/Goodreads/Bookbub)
If you enjoy fantasy books then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series or the Romantic Fantasy SoulMist series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and get notified when my next books are published.
By clicking the sign up button above, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and the newsletter platform provider to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.
By signing up to my newsletter, you agree to receive commercial information from Helen Garraway, located at 61 Bridge St, Kingston, Hertfordshire, UK (Data Administrator
Helen Garraway 