Yes it’s here at last. The cover reveal for my latest book which is now available for pre-order. It’s been a long journey since I typed the first words of this story and there were times when I doubted this book would ever be published. I guess every writer has these moments of uncertainty but mine came off the back of a life changing diagnosis earlier this year. Everything had to be put on hold in the run up to surgery, and that included writing. And what about afterwards? How would I be then? What if I required further treatment? How would that impact on my writing life? Not wanting to overthink the situation, I decided to put my writing on the back burner, get the procedure out of the way and then review the whole situation.
Luckily no further treatment was required so post op I spent a lot of time reading and reviewing. At the time I didn’t feel like doing any more than that. Healing takes time and I’d had major surgery so it was only sensible to take things slowly. The ms was on a file in my computer but opening up and starting the writing process again was something for manaña – tomorrow. The only trouble was, tomorrow soon became today and days gradually turned into weeks. Then one morning I woke up and decided it was time to bite the bullet. I needed to find out whether my writing mojo had completely abandoned me. Would I look at what I’d written and tell myself I didn’t want to do this any longer; that I’d just stick to reading and reviewing? Happily as soon as I read the first few chapters, I knew I couldn’t leave this story. I had to publish…but first there were changes to be made.
Now here we are in July with publication due on the 26th. Not only that, Shadows on the Water will now be followed by two other books in a new Cornish coastal romance series. Because during my rewrites it became clear that two supporting characters had their own stories to tell. So just as the tag line on the cover says ‘Sometimes the end is really just the beginning’.
SHADOWS ON THE WATER – synopsis
After the tragic death of her fiancé, Ava Warren is slowly rebuilding her life. She has a supportive family, great friends and a job she loves, managing holiday letting company Estuary Escapes in her home town of Kingswater. Another relationship is the last thing she wants or needs. Until one evening she meets Alex Penhaligon.
Alex’s father Sam owns Heron’s Gate Vineyard and Alex has recently returned from California, where he has been working for the past five years. A case of mistaken identity gets them off to a bad start. But discovering his error, Alex is anxious to make amends and soon persuades Ava that he’s not quite as arrogant as she thinks he is. As their friendship begins to turn into something much deeper, Ava wonders whether she can at last put the past behind her and make a new future with Alex.
But someone is watching. A man who not only thinks Ava should be his but also holds a long term grudge against Alex. And he’s determined to get his own way irrespective of the lengths he has to go to or who gets hurt in the process.
Set on the south coast of Cornwall Shadows on the Water is a story of family ties, lost love and tangled loyalties.
Available at a special pre-order price of 99p/99c on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk
JO LAMBERT 
Glad to hear you are back in full writing mode again. And simply love the cover and the title of your new novel. Am so looking forward to reading, as sounds a brilliant storyline. x
Thank you Kit. Jane Dixon Smith did another amazing job with the cover. The title was a struggle. The working title was Heron’s Gate, the vineyard in the story but as it wasn’t really central to the book I felt I needed to come up with something different. This was one of my ‘first thing in the morning’ inspirations – you know 6am when you’ve just woken up and your thoughts are in book overdrive!
So exciting! Congratulations, Jo! xx
Thank you Wendy. It’s been a long journey but worth all the hard work x