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.
Yesterday I received a 5 star review from a reviewer on Readers’ Favourite, and earned this shiny badge to show off!
It’s been a while since I finished publishing the Silent Sea Chronicles trilogy, so its wonderful to revisit the book and characters and see what reviewers think. Here is the review posted on the Readers’ Favourite website…
Reviewed by Ronél Steyn for Readers’ Favorite
Suzanne Rogerson brings us epic fantasy in the first book of the Silent Sea Chronicles: The Lost Sentinel. In Kalaya, the Assembly aims to eradicate anyone with even a hint of magic. New laws are passed almost weekly. So, when Tei’s father makes them leave their home in Seatown to reach the sanctuary of the Turrak mountains, she knows her life will change. Tei is now an exile. With her special talents, Tei is tasked with finding the next Sentinel, the one person who can save Kalaya from total decay. Danger lurks in every town and even in the Astral Plains, the only place Tei has ever contacted the Sentinel. Will Tei be able to accept the help of her new friends and complete her mission before the Masked Riders find the new Sentinel first?
Author Suzanne Rogerson has created a world with magic at its core. Written in the third-person narrative mostly from the perspective of the protagonist, readers are privy to her inner thoughts, desires, and fears. With epic journeys filled with sensory stimulation, readers are easily transported to a world where good and evil are constantly at war. The fight scenes are honed with precision. The characters are likable and undeniably relatable. With a steady pace and a magnificent plot, readers won’t want to put this book down. The Lost Sentinel is suitable for younger readers as well as avid fans of fantasy. The end of this book leaves ample opportunity to continue the next adventure in the new life of this mystic.
So far on the book tour for my new festive collection of short stories I’ve been loving the reviews coming in. It’s always fun to share a few of my favourite quotes with you. Please click the link for the full review on instagram.
weebelfastbookshelf ‘…Each story was perfect for an easy, cosy read at this time of year 🎄 the author has beautifully captured what this time of year is really about, even in such short stories. I found them all to be believable & relatable – I didn’t want them to end!’
Daisyhollands ‘…What a charming little collection of stories this is. If you are looking for something quick and stress free to read over the festive period, it should be this. Each story is different to the one before but there is Christmas magic weaved through all of them, like a glittery thread…’
afelton6212 ‘…this book just has all the Christmas magic I may be an adult but I fully believe In the magic!!’
currently_readingx ‘…Every story has a meaning behind it. From helping others to making sacrifices. When I was reading this book it made me feel so lucky to be surrounded by people I love…’
mommy_and_books ‘A perfect Christmas and winter anthology. The stories are short, enveloping, and everyone will find something for themselves here. An additional asset is the wonderful cover that catches the eye.’
lozzieloves ‘This is my first read by Suzanne Rogerson and it was a thoroughly enjoyable one. A collection of festive short stories which cover all the Christmas themes of love, kindness, family and friendship.’
bianca_reads_books ‘The underlying theme across all of these is kindness. They vary in length from a couple of pages to 18 pages, so they are very easy to race through. It’s a great read to curl up with your christmas cuppa and enjoy.’
Thank you to all the reviewers who’ve posted so far. As you can see from the list below, there are still plenty more to come.
In case you’re interested in this festive read, or want to get a gift for a friend or family member, below is the all important link. You can still order the paperbacks / hardbacks in time for Christmas or even gift an ebook to someone special.
Firstly I love the title, Coldplay is one of the best bands in the world!
It was wonderful to get back to Skye and pick up with the three sisters and their lives. I love the set up in the country house estate, and it’s also a pleasure to experience the island in winter this time.
This story is packed with family, emotion and love.
Ezzie is a great character with her fair share of issues, and Mats is suitably swoon worthy. The difficulties the leads face to love seem impossible to overcome, and I couldn’t stop reading to find out how a happy ever after was possible with so much against it.
Mats young kids were adorable. And Ezzie meeting her birth family led to plenty of teary moments.
A brilliant read and I’m looking forward to the last story in the trilogy next year (though it will be a shame to leave the Isle of Skye).
This was another great cosy Christmas read by Jo Thomas. And with lots of chocolate – what’s not to love!
Clara was such a lovely character who seems to naturally help everyone she meets and brings people together. Gabriel was the perfect, brooding leading man.
I loved the Swiss location with all the vivid descriptions of the snowy conditions, and especially the chocolate school and Gabriel’s farm.
It was a stay up all night kind of read and I just didn’t want it to end.
Both books are 5 star reads – I’m never disappointed with a Sue Moorcroft or Jo Thomas book!
I’m hoping to squeeze in a few more Christmas reads this year, and am already 80% through Claire Hutson’s new book – Bella’s Countryside Christmas. Another book that is most definitely worth a read.
Welcome to the Advent Calendar Story Train, where you can read through 24 stories under the theme Surprise.
I really enjoyed taking part in 2022 and couldn’t wait to get involved again. Here is my offering for this year’s advent calendar story train…
Last Minute Dash
‘Is there a problem?’ The man behind me at the checkout asked as I stood torn between returning the box of novelty Christmas crackers or the tub of chocolates.
‘Sorry, what?’ I turned towards him.
He was young, early twenties, and dressed in very swish clothes for a last-minute dash to the supermarket on Christmas Eve. He wore a cream-coloured cashmere scarf and an expensive coat worn open over a dress suit, while I was wearing the same scarf and coat combo I’d used for the last three winters. Where he was all designer labels, I was charity shop chic.
‘I meant, is everything okay?’
‘Oh, sorry.’ I flushed and turned even redder seeing his purchases on the conveyor belt – bottles of champagne and expensive boxes of chocolates. His dozen items probably cost the same as my entire shop for the month.
‘I just need to return one thing and then I’m all done.’
It sounded so simple when I said it out loud, but I kept picturing little Kenny’s face when there were no crackers to pull with our Christmas dinner or shiny-wrapped chocolates to devour. I would normally stock up through December, but money was too tight this year after the rent increase and my hours being cut at work.
I turned back to the cashier. ‘Take off the crackers… no wait, the chocolates…’
The young man tapped his foot. It didn’t help my decision-making process.
I glanced at my trolly filled with yellow reduced stickers. Maybe there was something else I could put back instead. ‘Sorry, my boy loves them both…’ My words trailed off, no closer to a decision.
The manic atmosphere in the shop seemed to heighten around me. The festive music, staff rushing around wearing tinsel and Santa hats, all with excited expressions as they neared the end of their shifts with the promise of a well-earned day off. I had the overwhelming feeling that everyone was watching me, judging.
The man checked his watch.
I had to decide. Tears threatened as I double-checked my empty purse one last time. I was certain there was an extra £5 in there yesterday.
I sighed heavily, resigned. ‘Take off the…’
The man behind me cleared his throat. ‘Keep them both.’
‘I can’t…’ How could I explain to someone like him that I was broke?
He stepped towards me and I flinched, not sure what he planned until he stretched over and tapped his card against the reader.
My whole shopping bill disappeared.
‘But…’ I floundered as the receipt printed off and the cashier handed it to me.
The man gathered up the notes and change I’d counted out by the till and pressed them into my hands. His impatient air was gone. ‘Merry Christmas,’ he said softly.
‘I can’t let you do that.’
‘It’s already done. Go and enjoy Christmas with your son.’
‘You should at least take this.’
I offered him the money, but he shook his head.
‘It’s a gift.’
I bit my lip, looking down at the crumpled notes before stuffing them back into my purse. I quickly dumped the chocolates and crackers with the rest of the food in my trolley. ‘Thank you,’ I mumbled, not sure what else to say.
The cashier smiled at me. I could see his actions moved her, too.
As the cashier started scanning the man’s items, I backed out of the way.
‘Why did you do that?’ I asked, watching him pack the bottles into a cardboard carrier.
He shrugged. ‘I’m in a hurry and the self-service wasn’t working.’
I nodded, not entirely convinced, but there was no point hanging around delaying him further. ‘Well, thank you again. And have a lovely Christmas.’
I hurried away, my hands shaking as I gripped the trolley handle and wheeled it along with the other shoppers eager to get home and enjoy the rest of Christmas Eve.
He caught up with me as I neared the exit.
‘That wasn’t true, you know,’ he said, falling into step beside me.
I turned to him, surprised. ‘No?’
He smiled sheepishly. ‘You reminded me of my mum, and of where I came from before all this…’ He indicated his suit and the champagne bottles clunking in the carrier. ‘We never had much growing up, but Mum always made Christmas special. Being a family was far more important to me than what we didn’t have.’
My throat burned with emotion as I thought of Kenny waiting with his gran. ‘I hope my boy is as kind as you when he grows up.’
He smiled and then strode ahead of me and out through the automatic doors into the darkness.
I hurried outside for one last glimpse of my saviour, but he was gone. ‘Merry Christmas,’ I whispered after him, before heading home to my son.
***
Thank you for reading today’s story. The next one will be available to read on December 10th, titled “A Borrowed Gift“. This link will be active tomorrow when the post goes live.
If you missed yesterday’s you can go and read it here.
Thanks to Ari for organising this story train again. It’s been a pleasure as always.
Please like and share the stories and hopefully we’ll see you again next year.
This is the last day of the book tour for A Christmas Wish and I’m happy to share some more review snippets…
Catreader18 – ‘Each one is enjoyable and cute and made me happier. My favorite story is called Santa Paws. It’s about a woman’s and her dog that visit nursing homes and this visit is the deliver Christmas presents.’
book_a_holic_17 – ‘I loved the diversity in these stories – whilst also keeping that same feel-good spirit of Christmas-time vibe… I don’t think that I could pick a favourite story from this – I really enjoyed them all – but Chance Encounters really touched me (being a mum of teens).’
bouquinistebookcase – ‘Each story had a meaning or moral and I’m sure a lot of people could put themselves in at least one of the protagonists positions. My personal favourite was the story of the two young brothers being led down the wrong path and being put in a difficult situation and having to make choices whilst being pressured by peers.’
booklover.kez ‘This was a delightful collection of 8 festive short stories, with themes of friendship, hope, family and second chances. They are all short and sweet and embrace the cosy Christmas atmosphere and time for helping others and being with family.’
afelton6212 ‘What a cute book. I loved this read… They really got me into the Christmas spirit. Highly recommended.’
thebookandbubble – ‘This collection of short stories is a heartwarming embrace of Christmas spirit. Each tale touches on heartfelt topics, weaving together themes of love, hope, and the magic of the season.’
nadz_sargent – ‘Such a lovely collection of heartwarming stories. The book is around 80 pages – these are short but sweet. Reminders of the importance of love, compassion, community and family.’
alyssas_book_obsession – ‘They were such feel-good and poignant stories. They brought the coziness of Christmas with themes of hope, family, second chances, and helping each other. The stories were relatable and realistic.’
And that’s it for the book tour. It’s been great to read the reviews coming in this last week and to share the love for A Christmas Wish. Thanks to all the reviewers who took part and a big thank you to Kelly and everyone at Love Book Tours for making this possible.
I will be back soon for a new book tour for A Little Christmas Magic – my newly released short story collection for 2024.
Both books are part of the Winter Warmers Short Story Series, which you can check out on Amazon now. Available as ebooks, paperbacks and free to read on Kindle Unlimited.
I hope you’ve enjoyed getting a taste of the reviews and hope its inspired you to get into the festive spirit.
We’re half way through the tour and it’s been great to see so many reviewers sharing pictures and reviews of my book.
I always like to give the reviewers and their blogs / Instagram accounts a shout out, so here are a few teaser lines to the reviews and links so you can read the whole post. I hope you’ll pop by and check out their reviews of A Christmas Wish, and maybe find some other great book recommendations while you’re there.
fiction_vixen18 ‘It would be hard to pick a favourite as they are all lovely but Santa Paws Delivery, For The Holidays and The Icing On The Cake all stick in my mind and Blaze will be in my heart forever.’
dorianhellfire ‘They’re sweet and cozy revolving around topics like family, friends, hope and that second chance we all hope to get.’
plumbobmummy – ‘This is a collection of eight very short stories all set around Christmas time. They are all sweet, heartwarming tales, ideal if you are looking for something uplifting with lots of happiness and hope.’
bianca_reads_books ‘Chance Encounters was my favourite. It showed how easily things can get difficult for families and youngsters. It also showed that the bad name teens often assume is not always warranted. They just need someone to really see them.’
meandmybookshelf ‘While I enjoyed all the stories in the collection, two stood out as personal favorites: “Santa Paw’s Delivery” and “For the Holidays.” Both are brimming with charm and carry a magical festive spirit that stayed with me.’
katieluvstoread ‘I am not someone who usually likes short story collections, however this was a very sweet collection that had me wanting more…’
Lisa_reads_alot ‘Hard to say which was my favourite one as I liked them all for different reasons, some feel good tales, others poignant.’
caz.readz ‘This will lift your spirits and get you in the mood for Christmas.’
planteachread ‘…these stories are varied and festive. They allow us to dip in and out of different lives while giving us a little Christmas warmth. Honestly, get your tree up and treat yourself to a story from A Christmas Wish with a hot drink, I promise it will feed your Christmas spirit.’
If these little snippets made you need to know more, please check out A Christmas Wish on Amazon. Available as an Ebook, Paperback, Hardback and Audiobook.
There are lots of stops still on the book tour, so I’ll be back at the end of the week with a summary of some more.
Hello. As promised I’m back with a look at the week ahead, which includes plenty of stops on the book tour for A Christmas Wish. See the schedule below.
I hope you’ll get a chance to check some of the reviews and book spotlights for my short story collection. Here’s a sneak peak…
Amazon reviewer – ‘If you’re after something for the festive season that’s emotional and comforting this is the book to read.‘
I’ll be back during the week to share some of the reviews from the book tour.
I’m so excited to be able to share my new festive short story collection ‘A Little Christmas Magic’ part of the Winter Warmers Series.
I’ve left it a bit close to the big day to get it out into the world, but I hope you will have a chance to read it and get in the Christmas spirit with me.
Here’s the cover which I really hope you love as much as I do.
A Little Christmas Magic is a heart-warming collection of stories with a focus on family, friendship, love and goodwill. From a much-loved family pet that’s 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.
Dive into this short and sweet story collection to get you in the festive spirit. Contains eight Stories – Poppy’s Christmas Wish, Last Minute Dash, Driving Home for Christmas, The Honeymoon Period, A Christmas Toast, The Last Train Home, The Wrong Post and Taking Care of Belle.
And I have to give a special mention to Evie, who inspired the first story in this collection. I’ve dedicated the book to her.
You can find out more about the book on Amazon. Free to read on Kindle Unlimited and only £1.99 to purchase. A Little Christmas Magic.
I’ll be back soon with some love for book 1 in the series A Christmas Wish, as the blog tour kicks off tomorrow. See you then.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my review copy of this debut by Georgia Summers.
The Blurb
Curses are made to be broken.
‘ENTHRALLING TO THE LAST PAGE’ SHELLEY PARKER-CHAN
Filled with magic, stardust, and a shockingly dark heart, this is a stunning standalone fantasy perfect for fans of The Ten Thousand Doors of January, The Starless Sea and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.
For centuries, Everlys have seen their brightest and best disappear, taken as punishment for a crime no one remembers, for a purpose no one understands. Their tormentor is a woman named Penelope, who never ages, never grows sick – and never forgives a debt.
Ten years ago, Violet Everly’s mother left to break the curse, and never returned. Now Violet must find her mother, or she will be taken in her place.
Her hunt leads her into a seductive magical underworld of power-hungry scholars, fickle gods, and monsters bent on revenge. And into the path of Penelope’s quiet assistant, Aleksander, who she knows cannot be trusted – and yet to whom she finds herself undeniably drawn.
Tied to a very literal deadline, Violet will travel to the edges of the world to find her mother and the key to the city of stardust, where the Everly story began . . .
My Review
This was a very enjoyable read from a debut author. The blurb drew my interest straight away and I really liked the simplistic beauty of the cover, which fits the story perfectly.
From the first page, I knew I would like the story and it didn’t disappoint. There’s plenty of intrigue at the beginning when you have to keep reading to uncover the mystery along with Violet. As she grows up and the story develops secrets are revealed, trust is broken and Violet must face up to her fate or do all in her power to change it. Her journey of discovery drags you along and the final confrontation is satisfying.
There is a certain strangeness to the world Georgia Summers has created which reminds me of Neil Gaiman.
I’m looking forward to more books by this author.
I’m especially looking forward to meeting her at my local Waterstones later this month! I’ll have to try and think of some questions for the Q&A and will hopefully post more about the night here.
You can pick up a copy of The City of Stardust on Amazon and add to your Goodreads shelf.
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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic fantasy, heart-warming romance and short stories
Suzanne Rogerson Author 