Imogen Clark's Blog

Welcome to September’s Newsletter

Hi there

Look at this glorious view! It’s the River Wharfe, mere steps from my desk, and when I took this on Friday morning the water was perfectly still, reflecting the sky and the trees beautifully.

However, the river doesn’t always look like this. Earlier this week it was a raging brown torrent after heavy rain. Apparently, it’s the fastest rising and falling river in England which is why when we get a flood warning I take note. The water won’t rise as far as my house but if the river breaks its banks I can’t get into Ilkley without a boat!

Anyway, less geography and more books. I hope your autumn has started well. Mine has been busy so far (more below) but let’s start with . . .

Book News

I have some very exciting book news but unless I get an email before this goes out giving me permission to spill the beans then I can’t. Sorry! (How annoying of me is that?!)

I’m also waiting for the cover for my next release, Model Conduct but I don’t have that to share yet either so the Book News section of this Newsletter is looking pretty paltry.

What am I writing?

This month I’ve been writing Seven Days, the Imogen book for 2027. I’ve written almost a quarter so far and I am starting to get into my stride with it. I have six main characters and they all need to be crafted with their own personalities, desires, secrets and stories. One of the things I love about writing without a plan is how the characters come to life on the page. By the time I get halfway through the first draft I will know them well enough to know how they’ll respond in any situation I put them in, but at this stage they can still surprise me and regularly do.

Now, do you harbour writing ambitions of you own? If so then why not join me in November and take part in NovelNovember. This is the descendent of Nanowrimo which some of you may have heard of and is new for 2025.

The idea is that you join a community of writers, both new and experienced, to write 50,000 words in November. Whilst that isn’t quite enough for a whole novel it will get you almost to the finish line and is sometimes the kick you need to get started. You may even catch the writing bug.

Signing up is free. Through October, you will be sent tips on plotting your book and have the chance to meet lots of other writers. Then, in November, we write. You can join in writing sprints, attend Q&A sessions and webinars on writing craft with lots of wonderful guests authors. I’m not sure how connections will work as yet but I’ll be there as imogenclark so look out for me.

Where have I been?

This month I spend a wonderful week in the Trossachs in Scotland, walking and writing. I’ve never been to that part of Scotland before and was delighted by how easy it is to get to somewhere that feels so very remote.

As well as the walking and writing, I also went to a whisky tasting. I was the only one there who hadn’t had whisky before and I’m not sure I’m a convert but at least by the end I could taste the subtleties of each region’s produce and understood a lot more about the whisky making process which is always interesting.

The Trossachs

I also spent a couple of days in London. The primary purpose was a celebration with my editor and her boss of my new three book publishing contract. Whilst I was there I also went to see The Great Gatsby at the theatre and also went to a couple of wonderful exhibitions. You can see some of my photos HERE.

Finally, I was in North Norfolk walking with a friend. We had mixed weather but got lots of miles under our belts. The contrast between the countryside in Scotland and Norfolk couldn’t have been more marked but they are both so beautiful in their own separate ways.

North Norfolk

As you might remember, all this walking is a training of sorts for next month’s big adventure, the scaling of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. More of that next month but I am raising funds for Yorkshire Cancer Research so if you’d like to help then the link is HERE. Asking for sponsorship always feels a bit icky but it’s a really wonderful cause and every little helps.

What have I read?

First this month is The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer. Greer is a smart but shy college student whose life changes course when she meets forthright feminist Faith Frank. Encouraged by her childhood sweetheart Cory and best friend Zee, Greer creates a life working for a small but earnest magazine and then for Faith’s charity. However, can her ideals stand up to the rigours of real life? Interesting and touching.

Zelda’s Cut by Philippa Gregory is one of the most unusual books I’ve read in some time. It most definitely isn’t the usual historical fiction that you might expect from this author. Isobel is a serious writer, writing serious books that are well reviewed but make no money. However, with an ill husband to support, she needs cash and so, together with her literary agent, she embarks on creating a whole new personality, Zelda, who then writes what turn out to be bestselling blockbusters. However, the plot gets darker and the complications of being two people at once get more profound as the story goes along. The book stayed with me after I closed the cover.

Paper heart by Cecilia Ahern I enjoyed very much. Pip lives with her parents and the daughter she had as a teenager but her status in the household ranks somewhere below the hamster. She lives her quiet existence, not challenging anything and secretly creating poems and tiny origami girls in her room. Then an astronomer from the local observatory teaches her to look up and Pip’s life changes entirely. This book is classic Cecilia Ahern and is just lovely.

And it’s the season for the big hitters so I can’t finish without mentioning The Hallmarked Man by Robert Galbraith, not least because it too me much of the month to finish it. The eighth in the Cormoran Strike series (and please don’t start with this one if you haven’t read the others – you have to begin at the beginning), the plot is as complicated, twisted and ultimately satisfying as the ones that come before. I have to say the ‘will they/won’t they’ storyline which consumes the two main characters is wearing very thin for me but I can forgive the author that because the rest of the books are so compelling.

September’s book choices.

And that’s it for September. Thank you, as ever, for reading to the end and for supporting me with all that I do. I am more grateful than you could ever realise. And do keep an eye open for my big news!

Until next month, happy reading.

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A busy day here yesterday. New head shots. Lots of photographs were taken so look out for them over the coming weeks!

The post Coming soon! appeared first on Imogen Clark.

Hi there

Look what happened! My tenth Imogen Clark novel In Another Life hit the book shelves this week. It seems to be going down well so far. There's a Readalong happening on Instagram and readers seem to be intrigued which is always good. There's a video of me reading the first chapter HERE too.

I'm full of new ideas at the moment (some more practical than others!) I'm hoping to host an online Book Club discussion about the In Another Lifevia Zoom for my email subscribers. You will be able to send questions beforehand and also ask me some on the day. I'll give people time to read the book and then send out an email inviting those that are interested to join me (always assuming I can make the technology work!)

Book News!

You may remember that I used to give out the Net Galley code of my books to interested readers hoping for early reviews. I stopped doing it because so many of your lovely reviews were blocked by Amazon and never made it onto the site.

Anyway, I'm assured that that doesn't happen anymore so another of my new ideas is to restart an early reading team. Anyone who is interested will be able to sign up for the team and will then receive a paper or digital copy of the book to review. There will be other perks to being a member of this exclusive club too!

I will be setting it up in time for my next book Model Conduct which is out in May next year so watch this space for how to be part of it.

Actual Book News!

Sorry! I got a bit carried away with my exciting new ideas for a moment there but I do have some actual book news. I have finished writing The Glamp Site which is Izzy Bromley #4. It's all booked in to go to the editors in the autumn and Imogen Church will be narrating the audiobook again. I hope it will be out shortly after Christmas but as ever you'll be the first to know when I have a definite publication date.

So that leaves me free to start on the next Imogen book, working title Seven Days. I don't want to give much away at this point but have a look at the Where I've Been section below for a clue as to the setting.

You might also have seen on social media that I have signed a fifth contract with my wonderful publishers Lake Union so that's another three books for me to write. Seven Days will be the first of those. I'm not sure about the others as yet. There's everything to play for there!

Climbing Kilimanjaro!

And now for something completely different (as they say.) In October, I will be attempting to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. It is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain above sea level in the world, standing at 5,895 m (19,341 ft) above sea level.

Usually I would just get on with this without making a fuss but following the death of my courageous brother-in-law Neil last year, I want to try to raise funds for Yorkshire Cancer Research, a charity that Neil supported.

I have no idea if I will make it – altitude sickness is indiscriminate – but if I don't get to the top it won't be for lack of trying! If you would like to support me in this important and very worthy clause then please follow this LINK. Thank you x

Where have I been?

'All over,' is the answer to that. Earlier this month I was invited to two weddings in the same week! One was local but the other gave me chance to spend a couple of days in the Lake District which was lovely. The view below is of Ullswater.

Then we went to the south of France with the children. (Hint – this might be the location I mentioned above) to stay in Biot near Antibes. It's so long since we were last down there that the younger two children couldn't remember ever going so that was fun.

And then I was in Norfolk. I met the friends I'm going to be climbing Kilimanjaro with for a walk. Clearly, walking in super-flat Norfolk isn't the perfect training for climbing the world's highest free-standing mountain but we had fun nonetheless.

Here are some snaps of the month. As ever, there is more to see on Instagram.

The book on the bench is evidence of the much lauded but rarely spotted Book Fairy! She's been busy leaving books on benches across the length and breadth of the land but so far has only had a message from one lucky recipient. It makes her wonder what happened to all the others. I hope they found good homes!

And talking of books . . .

What have I read?

I Know How This Ends by Holly Smale is the first adult book by this highly successful author and I loved it. Margot is on a self-destruct mission, finding fault with every man she meets so she can prove that they are all rotters. But then she meets Henry who isn't like the others. And she has developed a strange tendency to see into the future, a skill that she doesn't always use wisely. Sounds bonkers but actually it's a lovely and very touching story of love and forgiveness.

Sandwich by Catherine Newman is an astute and often hilarious look at life when you're sandwiched between your kids and your elderly parents. Rocky and her family go to Cape Cod to stay in a cottage they've been visiting for twenty years. Rocky wants it to be an easy holiday full of nostalgia and tender moments with her young adult offspring but the universe has other ideas. And on top of all that she's struggling to come to terms with mid-life changes too. It made me laugh out loud (but that might just be my age!)

The Offing by Benjamin Myers is a gentle coming of age book which I very much enjoyed. Following the end of WWII, Robert decides to take himself off for the summer before he has to begin work in the coal mine, a prospect he doesn't much relish. He walks down to Yorkshire from Durham and ends up sleeping in the garden of Dulcie, a wealthy but semi-reclusive woman who has much to teach him about life, poetry and nettle tea.

Kill your Darlings by Peter Swainson is a 'why done it' crime novel that is told backwards. Thom and Wendy are married and share a terrible secret which threatens to destroy them. Wendy sees a simple solution to her problem but some how it doesn't turn out to be all that simple. I had to concentrate hard to start with because the books goes from the end of their story to the beginning but I got the hang of it and the ending is delicious.

August's book recommendations

And that's your lot. Thank you to everyone who entered last month's giveaway to win copies of my new book. I hope you enjoy it. And if you also read In Another Life and enjoy it please leave a rating or review on Amazon as it helps other readers to find them. ( The algorithm loves good ratings!)

As ever if you haven't had enough of me you can find more on Instagram and Facebook and occasionally TikTok so please pop along and say hello. Thank you so much for being here and for reading right to the end. Your support means such a lot to me. And so, until next month. . .

Keep reading.

 

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Tell me more…AboutBooksBlogLATEST NEWS In Another Life, is published on 26th August 2025.
LATEST NEWS Table for Five, my second book writing as by Izzy Bromley is now out.
LATEST NEWS In a Single Moment has sold 100,000 copies in just nine months!LATEST NEWS My latest book In a Single Moment just hit #2 in the Kindle Charts!
LATEST NEWS 2021: The year I became a million copy selling author.LATEST NEWS Where the Story Starts has sold 250,000 copies worldwide.LATEST NEWS The Coach Trip– The first book by me writing as Izzy Bromley is out now!Reluctantly Home by Imogen Clark"Heartfelt, complex, heart-wrenching and deeply moving, this story is a multi-layered work of art. So many unexpected resolutions that I hadn't even considered…"

 Liberty

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In Another Day is out today!!The tenth Imogen Clark novel is published.

Good morning. I hope you're well. As you can see, I'm cock-a-hoop because my new book, In Another Life is published today! It's out in paperback, audiobook and ebook and it's also in Kindle Unlimited so you can take your pick!

Publication Day is always a bit weird because there are so many conflicting emotions flying around.

It's exciting because I have a new book out! Yay!!

It's gratifying because so much work goes into creating a book and it's wonderful to see it come to life. Obviously, there's my writing part but also a whole team behind me at my publishers who all play a really important part in the book's creation.

And then it's scary. Will the book sell? Will my readers like it? Will the reviews be kind? Obviously I can't do anything about any of that any more. Now I just have to wait and see what people think.

Anyway, In Another Life is OUT TODAY so please buy it and if you enjoy it please leave a rating or review on Amazon or GoodReads so that other readers can find it too.

Thank you so much!

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I’ve just typed ‘The End’ on the fourth Izzy Bromley book.

Of course it now needs editing and proof reading but the heavy lifting is done. That always feels good.

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Welcome to my monthly newsletter for July 2025

Hi there,

I hope you’ve had a lovely July. Lots of sunshine, lots of sport (if that’s your thing) and lots to feel good about in general. And look at this! My new book cover – I adore it and I also love these super-cool bookmarks that go with it. Want to win one of each? Then read on.

Book News

Well, the main book news this month is that by the time I write to you next month my new book In Another Life will be out! So, what is it about? Well, imagine going to your mother’s funeral and someone shows up who nobody else knows. Not that surprising, I hear you cry. Who knows everyone at a funeral?

But what if that someone claims to be your mother’s sister?

But wait! Your mother was an only child with no other family at all.

So who is telling the truth, your mother or this stranger? And why would either of them be lying?

This is the central mystery in In Another Life and in order to find out who is telling the truth, we travel to contemporary Ripon, a London newsroom on Fleet Street and Sicily in the 1980s. As ever we have a large cast of characters to meet and secrets to uncover.

I loved writing this one. Setting part of the story in Sicily was a treat. I spent time on the island in the 80s but I also read a number of books about the culture of the place, including The Godfather by Mario Puzo. My husband and I also went on a trip to see how much has changed since I was last there – answer, a lot! And then I used things I had seen and done on my recent Retreat trips to Tuscany for other details to hopefully bring the story alive.

I also needed to imagine what it would have been like to be a junior female reporter on Fleet Street. Again, my first stop was a book but through that I found a journalist of the right age and he talked me through the day to day ins and outs of working on a newspaper before the internet and digital printing.

In Another Life is available to pre-order and will be published on 26th August and I really hope you will buy it and enjoy it. And! If you’re a subscriber to this newsletter you’ll automatically be entered into a draw to win a copy (paper in the UK, digital elsewhere.)

I’ll announce the winners on my socials so keep your eyes peeled.

Where have I been?

There has been a lot of ballet in my life this month. I saw my son dance in Carmen in Zagreb and then Giselle in Dubrovnik. It’s so lovely to see how settled he now is in Croatia and to meet his ballet friends who are a hoot! So many different nationalities all speaking different languages and in a country that is foreign to them all and yet they are all thriving.

I’ve also been to Wells-next-The-Sea a couple of times this month – on my own to write and then again with my husband to do some walking. The weather was super-kind both times. What an extraordinary summer this is turning out to be on that front – certainly here in England at least. Here are a few snaps.

July in Zagreb, Wells-Next-the-Sea and DubrovnikWhat have I read?

I’ve read some great books this month (and some not so great ones.) Here are my favourite four.

Ripeness by Sarah Moss is a beautiful story. Edith, a very naive 18 year old is sent to Italy to be with her ballet dancer sister who is pregnant and mentally fragile. Once the baby is born it will be up to Edith to carry out the plan that has been set in place by their mother. Decades later Edith, now living in Ireland, is still dealing with the aftermath.

might be my favourite book of the year so far. Its central question is what difference does the name we are given at birth make to the way we live our life. Cora goes to register the birth of her baby boy and the story gives us three options and the lives lived as a result of that one key naming decision. As well as being beautifully written, it’s a fascinating idea and would make a wonderful book club choice if you’re looking for one.

I’m a bit late to the party on All The Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker but I got there in the end. Patch and Saint are best friends but then Patch is abducted from his bedroom and Saint is determined to find him. When Patch is returned, broken and deeply in love with a girl who was held with him in the pitch dark, Saint knows their relationship is altered irrevocably. The story follows how each of them live their subsequent lives apart and yet together. It’s a beautiful book.

The Death of Us by Abigail Dean is a love story and a murder mystery and a thriller all rolled into one. Edward and Isabel, an unlikely but devoted couple, have their lives devastated by a serial attacker who invades the homes of couples. He chooses Edward and Isabel and the book unravels both what happened and the emotional fall out. It’s a dark read (although possibly not as dark as Girl A) but if you like that kind of thing then I can recommend it.

July’s book recommendationsBook launch party

Finally, I will be having a launch party for In Another Life at The Grove Bookshop in Ilkley on Thursday 4th September at 7pm. Tickets are limited so if you’d like to come, listen to me talking about the book and have a chat about all things writing then please come along. I’ll also be signing copies – they make great gifts! You can get a ticket via the bookshop.

And that’s everything for this month. Make sure you’ve subscribed to this newsletter to be entered in the draw to win a copy of the new book. And because I’m feeling generous, if you email me at imogen@imogenclark.com with where you think I should set a future book and I choose your answer then you too could win a signed copy.

Don’t forget to keep an eye out for the list of winners. You can find me on Instagram and Facebook. And until next month, happy reading.

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Every so often it’s good to pause and take stock.

Today is such a day.

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June 2025

Hi there

I think I must have got myself caught in some kind of space-time continuum by accident. How can we be half way though the year already? I was merrily plodding along minding my own business and suddenly we seem to travelling at warp speed through the months! I imagine you feel much the same.

Thanks for reading Imogen’s Substack! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Subscribed

Anyway, lots has happened this month so hold onto your hats! Also, I have a competition this month and it’s only open to you, my lovely subscribers, so please read on.

Book News!

Well, the big news this month is that the third Izzy Bromley book is walking among us (or would be if a book could walk.) The Bed in the Shed is about the frustrations of being a mother and a homemaker and trying to stretch yourself too thinly while those around you seem to take you for granted. I suspect it’s a fairly universal theme so I’m hoping the book will strike a chord with many of my readers.

The big Izzy news is that I am now publishing her myself. My publisher has decided to concentrate exclusively on my Imogen Clark books without any distractions, but because the Izzy books sell so well they didn’t want them to just disappear and so they offered the rights back to me so I could continue on my own.

I have to say, it’s been a while since I last self-published anything and the learning curve has been quite steep but I have used the same editing process and engaged the same cover designer and audiobook narrator (the fabulous Imogen Church) so the new books should be indistinguishable from the old ones except they now have a little blue lizard on the spine, the logo of my publishing company.

It’s taking some time for the audiobooks to appear but The Bed in the Shed is now on Spotify so you can listen to it there. The others will be up on Audible and all other providers soon, I trust.

What am I writing?

Well, in line with the news above, I am currently writing the next Izzy book The Glamp Site which will appear at some point in 2026. I’m currently up to my neck in fictional disputes with angry neighbours and flooding drainage channels but I’m very much enjoying myself. I did go to a glamp site on a research trip last year (see photos below) but I’m planning on making my personal glamp site significantly more fancy!

Glamping in Norfolk

The next book to be written is the Imogen Clark novel for 2027. I’m planning to set that in the south of France which, coincidentally, I will be visiting with my family this summer. So I’ll start writing that when I’m back.

Where have I been?

This month I had a fabulous few days walking near Lake Garda in Italy. I think Italy is my favourite country after England and I spent a lot of my trip plotting how I could return for longer. (Since I returned it looks like that might happen without much effort on my part, but I’ll tell you more of that when there’s a plan in place!)

I stayed in a wonderful, family-run hotel. It took me all week to master the geography of the place and I kept popping up on the wrong staircase or floor. It was right by the lake which also confused me because the water lapped delightfully against the shore and seemed to behave much like the sea – except it wasn’t! We had some wonderful walks and I can throughly recommend the village of Gargnano as a base. Here are a few snaps.

Gargnano, Italy.

As ever, there are more photos on my Instagram and Facebook pages so please visit those if you’re interested.

You know I mentioned a competition? Well, I haven’t forgotten! Keep reading. And talking of reading. . .

What have I read?

Firstly, The Coast Road by Alan Murrin. The book is set in Ireland in 1994. Bohemian poet Collette leaves her husband and sons for another man but then returns to try and rebuild her former life. It doesn’t go according to plan. The novel is a study of provincial life and how communities can close ranks, even against their own. It’s not terribly cheerful but it does make you think.

Never Flinch by Stephen King is the next in a series but the books can pretty much be read as stand alone thrillers. I have only just discovered Stephen King, having been put off by the horror films of the 80s and 90s but these are just really good mysteries and I love them. This one is no exception. Someone is killing randomly, one death for each member of a jury that made a bad decision. Holly and the police have to find out who and why before there are more deaths.

In The Vanishing of Audrey Wilde by Eve Chase four sisters arrive at their aunt and uncle’s house for the summer but all is not well. Their cousin, who disappeared several years before is still haunting the place, metaphorically at least, and one of the sisters is determined to uncover the truth of what happened to her. There is also a present day storyline which follows a family with troubles of its own. They have bought the house without understanding its dark history and all becomes clear when the past and the present meet.

So Long, See You Tomorrow by William Maxwell is an American classic. In sleepy Illinois, two lonely teenagers forge a delicate friendship. But when jealousy ignites in one of their families, it leads to unthinkable tragedy, and severs the two boys’ bond forever. Fifty years later and haunted by the past, the narrator seeks to piece together those harrowing events and find redemption for a lifetime of regret. It’s a short, quiet and gentle novel that I read in a couple of sittings.

This month’s recommendations.COMPETITION TIME!

Thank you for reading all the way down to here. As your reward I have a competition to win a signed copy of my new book In Another Life which will be out in August.

Something that I have done for my own amusement in my Izzy books is to have characters who appear in more than one book and there is such a character in The Bed in the Shed. So if you read that book and recognise a character from another Izzy story then email me at imogen@imogenclark.com and tell me who it is. The first person to message me will win the book. (If you haven’t read Izzy then don’t worry. I will be running another competition to win In Another Life soon.)

And that’s it for this month. If you want to see what I’m up to then try following me on Instagram by clicking HERE. Hilariously, I’m on TikTok now too but I’m not very good at it. And I’m still on Facebook, of course.

And that’s your lot. See you again next month.

Keep reading!

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The Bed in the Shed

Hello lovely reader!

I’m very excited to tell you that THE BED IN THE SHED, the third Izzy Bromley book is published in paperback and ebook TODAY and you can get hold of a copy HERE.

Writing this book was a bit like therapy for me as I bashed out some old frustrations through my keyboard. It’s about Carrie, a highly competent but somewhat taken for granted woman and how she struggles to get her voice heard. I think it’s a theme that will resonate with many and I hope you enjoy reading how Carrie manages to resolve the issues with her family and friends. You might also spot a familiar character hiding in the pages.

There is also an audiobook version but due to a technical delay it’s not yet available. However, worry not – as soon as it pops up I will let you know.

As you’re probably aware, ratings and reviews are incredibly important for online visibility these days so if you do read the book and enjoy it please consider leaving a rating or review on Amazon and/or GoodReads to help other readers to find it.

Thank you so much for all your support. It means more to me than I can ever express and I really hope you enjoy the book.

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My new Izzy Bromley title, The Bed in the Shed, is out! Click on the link above to get your copy!

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