Barry Finlay's Blog

I was delighted to open my social media yesterday to find an article in the Africa Laureate Magazine with me as a one of their featured authors. Check it out below.

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The preorder is now available.

THE PAINTING WASN’T SUPPOSED TO EXIST.

A decades-old murder case has been forgotten.

Until a painting brings it back.

The artist is the victims’ daughter.

She doesn’t remember the murders.
She doesn’t remember painting the scene.
And she certainly doesn’t understand why her own artwork seems to know more than she does.

But the painting has opened a door that someone desperately wants to keep closed.

Now Jake Scott is following the clues, and every answer seems to lead to another question.

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I was recently interviewed following the Africa Laureate Award for Best Self Help Book for Just Keep Climbing. The interview follows. It’s a bit long, so I’m hoping to be able to release excerpts in the coming days.

You can find a copy of Just Keep Climbing at https://www.amazon.com/Just-Keep-Climbing-Inspirational-Overcoming/dp/1777139570/

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THE WAIT IS OVER. THE MYSTERY HAS A TITLE.

For weeks, you’ve been following the clues and guessing the title.

Today, the mystery finally begins to take shape.

I’m excited to officially reveal the title, cover, and blurb of Book Five in the Jake Scott Mystery Series.

A decades-old Halloween night double homicide.

A haunting painting.

A daughter who doesn’t remember witnessing the murders or painting the picture.

And a killer who has been waiting decades for her memories to return.

Just when it seems the case is going cold again … a second painting appears.

Jake Scott has never been able to resist a mystery, but this case may lead him somewhere he isn’t prepared to go.

Two paintings. One witness with no memory. And a predator waiting for her to remember.

The cover is finally here, and the story is beginning to emerge from the shadows.

COMING THIS FALL!

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When I wrote Just Keep Climbing, I hoped the stories about eight people overcoming their challenges would inspire a handful of people to deal with their own difficulties. I never anticipated the worldwide attention it is getting.

I’m delighted to announce that the book has been named the Best Self Help Book by the Africa Laureate Award panel. In their email they wrote:

“This distinction is conferred only upon books that demonstrates exceptional artistry, creativity, and a profound commitment to the craft of writing. Your book stood out to our panel of judges as a vital contribution to contemporary literature, and it is a profound honour for us to welcome you into the T.A.L.A. laureateship.”

You can read more about the book here.

Read more about the award at https://www.theafricalaureateawards.org/books

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Looking for a spark of hope to start the new year strong? Follow the paths of eight ordinary people as they face and overcome their challenges, or relentlessly continue to battle them in Just Keep Climbing. Read more about it here. Available from Amazon https://mybook.to/SIbl

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All of a sudden, it’s the time of year again to offer seasonal greetings to you and your loved ones. I hope your preparations for the season are going well. Remember, if there are last-minute items to buy, books are always a great gift. The experts say that reading stimulates the brain, reduces stress, enhances knowledge, expands vocabulary, improves memory, etc. Let’s face it, sometimes we just want to be entertained, and reading does that, too. So, make sure you have some books under the tree for your loved ones. There are some on my list.

It has been a good year, thanks to you, the reader. Shadows of Truth, the fourth book in the Jake Scott Mystery Series, was launched in September. Just Keep Climbing was translated into Polish and is now available in bookstores in Poland. I loved meeting new readers and those coming back for the “next book” at the many signings, presentations, and interviews this year. One of the things that keeps me going is the feedback I receive through Goodreads, Amazon, social media, and face-to-face. It’s satisfying to know that readers get as much out of reading my books as I do from writing them.

For those who are grieving this holiday season, as many are, my wife Evelyn and I send our sincerest condolences. We lost two family members and two friends this year, and it’s tough. We’ll miss Marilyn, Art, Don, and Shirley. Life moves forward, and we are grateful for the time we spent with them and the positive influence they all had on our lives. Keep the memories of those you lost close.

Finally, I’m happy to say that a new Jake Scott mystery is percolating. This one will be back in Jake’s hometown of Ottawa, Canada, and he will manage to get himself in trouble again, much to the chagrin of his girlfriend, Dani. His temperamental cat, Oliver, will once again observe with disdain.

If you want to be updated each time I have news, sign up for my newsletter on the Home page at HOME – Barry Finlay – Author.

As I close out the final post for 2025, I hope you have an enjoyable celebration with family and friends, and may the new year bring excellent health, new opportunities, and amazing achievements.

Until next year!

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I enjoyed an interview recently with Peter Okonkwo, the founder of P English Literature, the first international BookTube show in Africa that features authors from around the world. We cover quite a bit of ground in this interview. Enjoy!

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That’s probably not a headline you expected to read. It’s not something I expected, either, until a little over a year ago, but I’m very proud to announce that Just Keep Climbing is now available in Polish. If you or any of your friends read books in Polish, the buy link is:

https://logos.warszawa.pl/home/218-po-prostu-wspinaj-sie-dalej-9788366748590.html

So far, it is only distributed in Poland. I’ll let you know if the distribution becomes more widespread.

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I’m pleased to announce that Shadows of Truth has received recognition from Literary Titan per the message below. The release date is less than a week away for those buying online. If you’re in the Ottawa, Canada area, you can pick up your signed copy at Indigo Kanata on Saturday, September 20, between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Literary Titan Gold Book Award: Fiction | LITERARY TITAN

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