So here it is – the big launch. Yeh!

What I should be doing is signing and selling books but my book signing ventures have been put on hold as the book shops are closed and all the speaking engagements I’d had lined up are cancelled! Even the newspaper has cancelled my interview. And you don’t need to guess why. Yes! This awful coronavirus has me well and truly locked down, so the only thing I’m launching today is my very good neighbour with my credit card who has offered to get my shopping in.

But in the midst of all this bad news let’s keep positive, shall we? At least this virus is having an impact on the environment. Carbon emissions have reduced drastically throughout the world. In some places as much as 50%. Wow! We’re doing in a matter of weeks what was expected to take years. There are now fish in the canals of Venice and even swans have turned up the grace its waters. Fighting around the world diminishes as enemies suddenly find a common foe in a virus, and a wonderful community spirit has emerged. All our neighbours placed a candle in their window Sunday night as a sign of hope and the effect was lovely – especially for those living alone. And as I write this the sun is shining and bright yellow daffoldils adorn my garden.

The other good news is that we’re all doing more reading. In my previous post I told you all about ‘The Senator’s Darkest Days’ which is the sequel to ‘The Senator’s Assignment‘. If responses so far are anything to go by, I promise you’ll enjoy it.

Links : https://www.amazon.co.uk/Senators-Darkest-Days-Joan-Histon/dp/1789042224/ref

https://www.johnhuntpublishing.com/tophat-books/our-books/senators-darkest-days

Yeh! So excited! The second in my ‘Senator’ series is to be launched on 24th March.

The story takes place in 40AD.

‘Despite the threat of bloodshed, Senator Vivius Marcianus travels to Jerusalem to investigate the delay in erecting the Emperor’s statue in the Jewish temple. Failure is not an option. But when Vivius is wounded and imprisoned, it is left to Dorio, his brother-in-law, to rescue his heavily pregnant sister and her children and set about proving Vivius’s innocence.’

I loved the idea of Dorio, the underdog messing up but coming good despite all odds. That, and the political intrigues of the time, are two of the reasons I wrote The Senator’s Darkest Days’, and from the few who’ve had a sneak preview of it the response is even more positive than for the first book.

“Joan Histon has created another engaging page-turner as she revisits the ruthless and often brutal political world of ancient Rome in her sequel the Senator’s Assignment’. Once more her attention to detail and ability to craft a tale of conspiracy and intrigue against this seditious period in world history are perfectly aligned in this gripping thriller.”

“The Senator’s Darkest Days” is a captivating and compelling thriller. Joan Histon weaves her story with well imagined descriptions of the people and places of the time immersing us in the political intrigues of Caligula’s Roman Empire“

So I shall be doing my bit and bombarding social media news of the launch at the end of March. So please wish me ‘God speed’ because you know how I struggle with technology.