Suzanne lives in Middlesex, England with her husband, two children, a crazy cocker spaniel and a rather aloof cat.
Her writing journey began at the age of twelve when she completed her first novel. She discovered the fantasy genre in her late teens and has never looked back. Giving up work to raise a family gave Suzanne the impetus to take her attempts at novel writing beyond the first draft, and she is lucky enough to have a husband who supports her dream - even if he does occasionally hint that she might think about getting a proper job one day.
Now an author of four fantasy novels including the Silent Sea Chronicles trilogy and her debut fantasy, Visions of Zarua, Suzanne has also turned her hand to short stories. At last count, she has 4 books to her name including two feel-good Christmas collections.
She loves gardening and has a Hebe (shrub) fetish. She enjoys cooking with ingredients from the garden and regularly feeds unsuspecting guests vegetable-based cakes.
Suzanne collects books, is interested in history and enjoys wandering around castles and old ruins whilst being immersed in the past. She likes to combine her love of nature and photography on family walks, but most of all she loves to escape with a great film, binge watch TV shows, or soak in a hot bubble bath with an ice cream and a book.
Today is the day where I get to share the audio version of my book with some lovely reviewers and you. This tour has been hosted by Rachel’s Random Resources.
Part of the Winter Warmers Series, A Little Christmas Magic is a heart-warming collection of eight stories with a focus on family, friendship, love and goodwill.
From a much-loved family pet that goes missing to a neighbour in need. Chance meetings and the kindness of strangers. Overcoming trauma to help others and being prepared to make sacrifices. A father rushing to get home to his kids in time for Christmas.
“Each story brings out a meaning of Christmas and a listener will definitely choose a favorite for their individual preference! My favorite was one of the shorter stories: Last Minute Dash. It just spoke to me more than the others. It shows the kindness of a stranger while also sharing in the joy of Christmas and memories of childhood.” Jessica at Jessica’s Reading Room
“I really like the narrator, Colette Davies Kerwin. She was really animated in the stories and easy to like. The stories are written exceedingly well. The author Suzanna Rogerson has written a beautiful story that’s full of magic and heartwarming for Christmas. If you love Christmas books, this is for you. 5 stars!” Tea leaves and book leaves
I’m looking forward to sharing some more review snippets later on.
I’ve been trying to embed a sample of the audiobook into this post, but for some reason wordpress isn’t letting me. (huge sigh!)
So November passed in the blink of an eye and we’re almost halfway through December as well!
Book 4
My plans to finish book 4 in the Mermaid Hotel series have fallen behind – it’s currently sitting at 53K. It’s going well and I could still finish it by the end of the year, but it will be a tough challenge! I’m trying to make it a well developed first draft, which takes longer than just churning out the scenes, though as Christmas approaches I may have to rethink how I do this.
Will I hit the 75k word count that the other books are averaging? From experience, the first draft is usually shorter and increases as I edit. 75k will be my end goal for next year when I have a polished, edited version.
Other writing
I’ve started working on the first prequel in The Mermaid Hotel series which starts during the run up to Christmas and ends the following Christmas. I’d love to get this ready to publish later in 2026.
Winter Warmers Series – I haven’t found the time to really get planning on book 3 in the series but I’m challenging myself to write one story a month starting in January. I would aim to get it finished by August, which would be 8 stories just like the other books.
Throughout December I’ve been enjoying taking part in the Advent Calendar Story Train, both sharing ‘A Squirrel’s Tale’ on 8th December and reading everyone else’s stories. Ari is keeping a list on her blog of each story as it goes live. Here is her link if you’ve missed it – 2025 Advent Calendar Story Train.
I can’t resist sharing Sammy AKA Scruffy’s picture one last time because he’s so sweet…
Audiobook news
The start of two book tours starts tomorrow with a ‘One Day Blitz’ hosted by Rachel’s Random Resourses. I can’t wait to get sharing the reviews on various social platforms and I’ll share a few updates here as well.
The from 17th December I have a week long tour with Love Book Tours. Again, it will be wonderful to share these reviews and see how the reviewers found Colette’s narrating style. I feel she has a very calming and relaxed voice, perfect to help you unwind after a hard day’s Christmas shopping.
Publishing decisions and marketing
I haven’t made any progress on my newsletter dilemma and really need to start marketing rather than just talking about it here! I also need to make some decisions on the covers for the series and set a publication date.
I feel like January will be a big month for making decisions, that’s why I really wanted to have book 4 in decent shape by 31/12/2025.
Reading
I’m close to reaching my Goodreads goal which is only a lowly 19 books this year. I’m on book 17, so again it’s going to be close. At least I caught up with my Netgalley reviews and have banned myself from looking on there for the rest of the year.
Everything else
Work and family each have their challenges but with only a week left before breaking up from college / work, I think I can make it!
I’m hoping to start the holidays fit and healthy as last year was ruined with a bad, lingering cold that meant I could barely taste the Christmas dinner I slaved over, or the many chocolates I scoffed.
That’s about it in my world, I’ll be back with some review highlights of the audiobook blitz for A Little Christmas Magic over the weekend.
Welcome to the Advent Calendar Story Train, where you can read through 24 stories under this year’s theme, Lost.
A Squirrel’s Tale
‘Look at those delicious acorns,’ I said, my tail twitching with excitement.
Sorrel ran along the branch towards me. ‘Are you mad, Sammy?’ she chattered angrily. ‘There’s no cover on the ground. It’s not safe.’
‘I’m the fastest squirrel in the park, what’s to worry about?’
‘Dogs, foxes, hawks, take your pick.’ Sorrel’s claws groomed nervously through my fur.
‘Don’t be silly.’ I laughed and scurried down the tree. ‘I bet I can get the acorns back here before anyone notices. Come on.’
‘No, I’ll keep watch.’
‘Suit yourself.’ I flashed my tail at her. ‘I’ll just keep the juiciest acorns for myself.’
On the ground, I sat on my haunches and sniffed the air for danger. All I could smell were those tempting acorns amongst the damp leaf litter, and I raced towards them before another squirrel chanced across my bounty.
Gathering all the acorns I could carry, I left them at the base of the tree for Sorrel to collect and then moved back to pick up the rest. I couldn’t resist stopping for a taste. I turned the acorn between my paws and tested several spots, looking for a weakness in the hard shell. My mouth watered as my teeth sank through…
‘Fox!’
I dropped the acorn and frantically checked around for the fox, sniffing the air for its telltale musky scent.
‘Run!’ Sorrel screamed.
From the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of red bounding towards me. I dashed for the nearest tree with the fox closing in behind me.
Just as I dived up the tree trunk, I felt the tug of sharp teeth grasping my tail. Digging my claws into the bark of the tree, I climbed for my life.
The grip on my tail slipped, and finally I was free. I didn’t stop climbing until I was high in the branches.
Sorrel jumped through the trees to reach me, still chattering loudly as she stopped beside me and ran her claws through my fur.
‘I know I lost the bet.’
‘No, Sammy, your tail…’
As I flicked my tail, I felt a sharp, throbbing pain.
Catching it between my paws, I groomed my fur and tasted blood. Tears welled in my eyes. My beautiful bushy tail was a ragged mess.
I hadn’t just lost the bet – I could never call myself a squirrel again.
***
Sitting high in the branches, I surveyed the frosty ground below and looked for my next meal. From the corner of my eye, I glimpsed my crooked, bald tail and tried to ignore it.
“The price of stupidity and greed,” Sorrel was fond of telling me.
I saw my target family walking along the path.
‘Watch the magic at work, Sorrel.’
‘You’re such a show-off,’ she tutted, though she still climbed lower to watch me.
The family moved into range. I gave a quick check around for foxes and dogs before making my appearance.
The two children spotted me first.
‘Look, there’s Scruffy,’ the boy called as I scurried down to greet them.
I sat and clutched my paws in front of me, blinking big brown eyes and giving my tail a wiggle, just to remind them of my plight.
‘Poor Scruffy,’ the girl attempted to whisper. ‘Mum, give him food.’
‘Shh,’ her brother hissed. ‘You’ll scare him.’
‘Don’t argue, you two,’ the mum said, crouching low with her camera trained on me.
I never minded posing for her, so long as she paid for the privilege.
Finally, the mum stopped taking pictures long enough to dish out food to the children – they argued if they didn’t both get to feed me.
I let them walk closer while watching the food held temptingly in their hands; today it was a nut bar, my favourite.
They tossed the food on the ground next to me.
I snatched up the bar and scampered back up the tree, perching to eat my prize.
The family watched me from below, staying until I returned to claim the second offering.
When they were gone, Sorrel climbed down next to me, and we shared my reward.
‘Tastes good, doesn’t it?’
‘Yes, but it’s not natural taking handouts from humans,’ she said, licking her paws clean.
‘It’s not easy living with this.’ I flicked what remained of my tail in her face. ‘I’m just making the best of things. Look, here comes another family.’
‘Sammy…’
‘The name’s Scruffy,’ I told her. ‘At least while I’m working.’
‘Begging more like.’
‘If it’s good enough for the ducks…’ I threw over my shoulder before scooting down the tree in time to earn another snack.
A few minutes later, I handed my sister half the booty, and we sat munching together.
‘This winter will be so easy,’ I said.
‘But it might not last, Sammy. You still need to cache the acorns before they’re all gone, or you’ll starve.’
‘I’ll do it tomorrow.’ I pointed up to where the blue sky shone through the bare branches.
‘Right now, the sun is shining and there are plenty of humans eager to help an injured animal. I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts,’ I told her.
We moved through the park together, Sorrel sulking in silence.
‘I’ll teach you my technique.’ I scanned the area for likely victims. ‘There you go.’
I pointed to a lone man with a camera slung around his neck. ‘Those are the ones to target. They’ll do anything to get a good picture.’
Sorrel watched the man, twitching her tail nervously. Then she jumped in front of me. ‘Alright, this one’s mine.’
As she scurried down the tree trunk, I had to admit she looked graceful. The man with the camera took plenty of pictures before dishing out a reward.
‘You’re a natural,’ I told her. ‘But then again, you have been learning from a professional.’
She nipped me playfully and dashed away with her spoils. I gave chase, deciding that life without a tail wasn’t so bad after all.
The End
Thank you for reading today’s story. The next story will be available to read sometime on the 9th December, titled “Time Travel“. This link will be active tomorrow when the post goes live.
If you missed yesterday’s you can go and read it here.
***
Believe it or not, this is based on a true story – well sort of! We used to love going on family walks to Bushy Park in Surrey and one day met a squirrel just like Scruffy begging for food.
I loved to take pictures of the wildlife and even got the kids interested too.
I hope you’ve enjoyed the story and taking part in the Advent story train. Don’t forget to check the other stories through the rest of December.
Thank you to Ari for arranging the Advent story train again this year. I’ve enjoyed taking part every year she has run it. If you missed them, here are the links to my previous stories.
I don’t think Jo Thomas can write a bad book! Jem was a brilliant lead and I got behind her straight away. She stood up for what she believed in and got the whole community involved. There was a great cast of characters, each of which had a story I wanted to follow, especially Llew. I love the unusual setting of a farm for a romance. It also really makes you think about the message in the story and raises awareness for the plight of farmers all over the country. It’s a real heart-warmer you won’t want to stop reading.
Final thoughts – It’s not Christmas without a Jo Thomas book, and this year it’s extra special.
Blurb
Jemima Jones is driving home to her family’s magical hill-top farm for Christmas…
And on arrival, she soon learns that her dad has been keeping a secret – all is not as it seems, and Hollybush Farm is struggling to make ends meet! Worried about losing the childhood home she loves, Jemima must pull on her winter wellies and get stuck in.
Amid the chaos of chasing after escaping sheep and organising the Christmas tractor run, Jemima begins documenting her slice of farming life on social media. As she builds a supportive online following, she also forms an offline connection in the shape of charming, retired rugby player Llew, her very own Santa’s helper.
With a sprinkle of festive cheer and a dash of goodwill, might the community pull together to help save the farm in time for Christmas?
I can finally confirm that my most recent festive short story collection is out in all formats – ebook, paperback, hardback and now audiobook too!
It’s narrated by the very talented Colette Davies-Kerwin, and I have the preview to share with you below.
These stories all focus on family, friendship, love and goodwill. The audio sample above is the start of Poppy’s Christmas Wish. This is the first story in the collection, about a much loved pet going missing just before Christmas. I’ve dedicated the book to my cat, Evie, who adopted us during lockdown, much to the dismay of my lovely little cocker spaniel.
During December, there will be several audiobook tours where listeners will share their reviews. I can’t wait to share some highlights with you.
A quick update on the Winter Warmers Collection…
I do plan to publish another collection in 2026. It’s something I hope to start planning in the next few weeks, alongside working on my Mermaid Hotel Series which also debuts in 2026. All these plans are going to keep me very busy, but I’ll always make time to chat to others, so please get in touch by commenting below, or finding me on other social media platforms.
If you’d like to hear more of the audiobook, these are the links for the series on Amazon. It’s also available on Audible UK and Audible US.
Let me know what you think of the sample, and anything else you might want to chat about. You can find all my links on linktree.
I loved this book, just as I have loved every one of Jo Thomas’ books. It was a beautiful story of second chances at love, and at times it was very emotional. I loved Thea and her children, and of course, Giovanni, who comes to their rescue as soon as they arrive in town. There are some real characters, and great backstory to unravel both amongst the townspeople and for Thea and her young family. Plus, it has a renovation theme, which I always love. Everything about this book had me hooked. I’d love another story set in the same town in Tuscany. In fact, writing this review makes me want to read the book all over again!
It’s never too late to find where you belong…
Thea knew the holiday house her late husband Marco bought in Tuscany wasn’t pristine. But when she relocates to Italy for the summer with her children, she’s shocked by how much work Casa Luna needs. And she only has six weeks to fix it up ready to sell! Her only option is to ask the tight-knit Italian community for help.
In return, Thea and her children become involved in the community kitchen, working alongside handsome chef Giovanni and three very competitive nonnas. Gradually, Thea begins to open up to the people around her for the first time in a long while. But just as she’s beginning to wonder whether this small Tuscan town could become a new place to call home, a surprise visitor turns everything on its head . . .
This is the third book in the Skye sisters trilogy. I’ve enjoyed every one of the Skye sisters’ books equally, and I don’t think I can pick a favourite. What I have loved is being able to follow each sister and still keep in touch with their siblings. Valentina’s story is just as engrossing as her siblings, and in some ways more emotional as she has a young son and broken marriage to juggle whilst falling in love. Xander has his own issues, but he is the perfect match for Valentina – if only life, family and location issues didn’t get in the way for both of them. This was a lovely end to the trilogy, and I highly recommend the series – just as I recommend every one of Sue Moorcroft’s books.
One summer on a beautiful island could change everything…
Valentina Taylor’s life has been upended. With her marriage over, and unsure of what her future holds, she heads to the Isle of Skye for the summer with her young son, Barnaby.
But the journey there sets her on a new path, when she meets Xander Courage on the train – a charming American, running from problems of his own. After sparks fly, they go their separate ways. But on this small island, they’re never far from one another…
Skye offers Valentina the refuge she needs as she whiles away the long summer days at her beachside cottage, enjoying visits from her sisters, Thea and Ezzie. But when bad news from home throws her Scottish idyll into turmoil, Valentina finds herself pulled away from the place – and people – that she loves.
Valentina knows she must confront her heart’s desires – but can she let go of the past and embrace the future she deserves?
Wow, the start of this book throws you straight in the deep end, and it doesn’t stop as Kate’s life is thrown upside down. I couldn’t stop reading, hoping desperately that Kate would get her happy ever after. The storyline keeps you guessing as she tries to settle into a new community without giving away her past. I loved how everyone came to help her – the sense of community in Starry Cove is strong and I loved the mystery around Piers her love interest. It was a story I would read again and recommend to any romance reader.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC copy.
Life doesn’t always go to plan . . . After a messy breakup and a nightmare boss, Kate swaps the chaos of London for the calm of Starry Cove-the charming seaside village she loved as a child. She arrives hoping for peace and a fresh start. But life has other plans: Kate soon discovers she’s going to be a mother.
As she navigates small-town life (and morning sickness), Kate finds friendship in the ‘coastal girls’-a warm, welcoming group who help her land a job with Piers, the reclusive owner of the local manor. He’s guarded, grumpy and impossible to read… but there’s more to him than meets the eye.
As feelings grow and secrets slowly come to light, Kate must decide if she’s ready to open her heart again-and whether Starry Cove could be the home she’s been searching for all along.
Ok, so I realise my October wrap up is slightly later than planned, but I’m quite proud of what I achieved, so I wanted to share it.
First, the big news:
I’ve just agreed the audiobook for A Little Christmas Magic, and it’s now with ACX for their quality checks before they release it for sale. Colette Davies-Kerwin has done an amazing job bringing the stories to life, and I can’t wait to share the audiobook with everyone. To help with this, I’ve set up two audiobook blog tours in December, so will share more info on those when I can.
I made changes and sent Book 2 in the Mermaid Hotel Series out for its second round of critique feedback. Cristal is a very thorough reader and really challenges me to make the story better, so I’m looking forward to working through her suggestions as they come in. I’ve also entered the first chapter into a competition and have everything crossed that it gets to the shortlist stage.
I finished the latest draft of Book 3 in my Mermaid Hotel Series and sent it to two of my beta readers – we meet next week to discuss their thoughts on the last chapters. I hope they like it!
The story for the Advent Calendar story train is complete, and the post will publish on 8th December. It’s called ‘A Squirrel’s Tale’ and is a little different from my usual stories, so I’m looking forward to sharing that.
Plans for the rest of the year…
November is all about Book 4 and trying to finish the first draft by the end of the year. I’ve been reading through the story so far and trying to make a brief plan of what comes next. I’m aiming for around 1k words a day. If I manage this over November and December, I should reach an end word count of 75k. It would be great to start working on the finished novel over the Christmas break, as it will need a lot of editing!
I also need to start marketing my Mermaid Hotel Series and decide on things like my newsletter – do I try going with a different provider and use a new name? I don’t like Mail Chimp, so it seems like the perfect time to start afresh. If you have any newsletter recommendations, please let me know.
I still need to share my reviews of NetGalley books. I should get onto that ASAP as these were summer books, and now I have several Christmas ones to read and review as well.
I’ve also purchased the new Authorpreneur Academy course from Dave Chesson. I need to work through the modules and get familiar with self publishing again. If I want to make a big splash next year, all the preparation work I do now will hopefully help The Mermaid Hotel Series take off.
That’s enough from me. I’ll be back soon with those book reviews and details on the audiobook tours for A Little Christmas Magic.
Ok, so it’s already been a few weeks since my last post, which means I’ve fallen behind on the promise to blog more often. But I am working my way through the other items on my to do list for the last 100 days of 2025, and I also have a great new development to report.
Firstly, September’s challenge – Complete the draft of book 2 in The Mermaid Hotel Series.
I completed this a little late, but sent the book off to my beta reader last week. A win!
October:
Complete the draft of book 3 in The Mermaid Hotel Series. I’m getting on really well with this and have got the word count up to 72.5K. I still have about 60 pages to edit and develop, so I’m hoping to get that up to about 76k by the end of October.
I treated myself to a mini writing retreat and booked into a local hotel, where I wrote in my room until midnight without distraction. In fact, I only stopped to go to the curry house attached to the hotel for dinner. As well as getting lots of words done, it also gave me an appreciation of how the characters in my books might feel booking into a hotel as a solo traveller and dining alone. I also saw firsthand how much of a struggle in must be for the hotel industry to keep afloat with few guests – all invaluable experience for the crafting of my new series set in a Cornish hotel.
I would recommend any writer take a similar retreat to focus and recharge, especially if you have a busy home-life.
I still need to write a story for the Advent Calender Story Train and the deadline is looming, plus a Halloween themed story for the library writing group I attend.
The rest of October will be a busy one, especially now I have made an offer to a narrator to perform A Little Christmas Magic – I will keep you updated on the progress.
I still have lots of words to write today and stories to draft. I hope to be back with some late book reviews on my Netgalley reads and hopefully news on the book covers for my Mermaid Hotel Series.
Lastly, I finally got a new laptop! My old one has had a broken ‘down’ button for the last 2-years and the screen had bubbles and was leaking at the edges. Thanks to the recent Amazon Prime day deal, I’m typing this on my lovely new blue Lenovo IdeaPad. So far I’m very happy with it, though the battery life could be a little better.
Suzanne Rogerson Author 