ABOUT ME
ey, I'm so glad you're here!
So ... a little about me ... I graduated as a primary school teacher from
King Alfred's College (now called the University of Winchester) in 2002 and I've been teaching ever since. I'm a very creative person and as well as teaching, I have always had a passion for writing, photography and art. ELEMENTS: ACQUIESCE is the first in a series of YA historical, fantasy, romance novels set predominantly on the west coast of Victorian Ireland. ELEMENTS: AZURE is the second book in the series and is due to be released in December 2022.
I live in Hampshire, England with my two rescue cats, Smokey and Millie. I love chocolate (not dark), the sea, the smell of traditional lemonade because it reminds me of my grandmother, the pitter patter of rain on the window when I'm snuggled up in bed, looking through old family photographs and driving along country roads in the summer with the music up and the windows down. I'm vegetarian, I love animals and my favourite colour is blue.
I BELIEVE
IN DREAMING
ELEMENTS: ACQUIESCE
BOOK 1 IN A YOUNG ADULT HISTORICAL, FANTASY, ROMANCE SERIES.
awakes in a cave system beneath a lighthouse - a secret Merfolk school for the elite. She soon realises that she is with her own kind and Flynn, the fisherman who raised her is missing.
It's 1853 and Kilfearagh is still recovering from the great hunger. The church bells toll as another mass burial takes place and houses stand empty - their occupiers long departed on coffin ships in hopes of discovering a better life in America. If the locals knew about the Merfolk living on this rugged coast, they'd exhibit them in a museum in Dublin, unless the Sirens kill them first. With support from her new friends Cordelia embarks on a mission to find Flynn, the only person she can call family, whilst also trying to understand and come to terms with her newfound powers. If she fails, Flynn will die.
fter a wretched storm obliterates their fishing boat on the west coast of Ireland, fifteen-year-old Cordelia
Struggling to fit in to her new life at the school, Cordelia spends her spare time on the reef, honing her skills. Here she meets Breck, a handsome peat boy with his own supernatural powers. Both coming to terms with life-changing events, they are drawn to each other but their relationship is not plain sailing. Uncertain of where she belongs, Cordelia battles with feelings of abandonment and seeks to find out who her birth parents are. In doing so, she is forced to keep a secret that would see her ostracised by all who know her and she soon realises that an entire Kingdom is in danger. Cordelia must decide if she's willing to risk everything to save the Kingdom, the crown and the man she loves.
WHERE TO PURCHASE:
ebook and paperback available ONLINE AT ALL GOOD BOOK RETAILERS
ELEMENTS: AZURE
BOOK 2 IN THE ELEMENTS SERIES.
cOMING DECEMBER 2022.
not be worth living at all. The only way to save him from almost certain death was to reveal her true self - a selfless act that at best would see her exiled, at worst - killed.
Having revealed her wings at Meren's Summer Ball, Cordelia flees to Thailand in search of the Tree of the Dead and hopes of bringing her mother back to life; but as we know, the sea is full of mystery and as beautiful as Thai waters are, danger surely awaits.
It's 1853 and fearsome pirate junks from southwest China have been operating in the South China Sea. Unbeknown to Cordelia, as she was transforming into her adult self, the Battle of Nam Quan was fought as part of a British anti-piracy operation in China.
hat would be worse... living or dying? Cordelia would rather die than live a day as a Siren and a life without Breck would
With help from armed Chinese civilians, the British Royal Navy encountered and defeated eight pirate ships; one captured junk escaped.
Merfolk at the School of the East are working hard to find this rogue junk and bring peace to their seas once more, but this is the least of Cordelia's worries. Battling with imposter syndrome and still not knowing where she truly belongs, Cordelia desperately seeks guidance, which she finds in unexpected places. Beyond Thailand's golden shores, there's an ancient kingdom with secret worlds and mysterious creatures. Will Cordelia find the Tree of the Dead and bring her mother back? What will she do when tragedy strikes and threatens the future of Meren? Is there truly a place for Breck in Cordelia's world?
RELEASE DATE: DECEMBER 2022
ELEMENTS AZURE WILL BE AVAILABLE AS AN E BOOK AND PAPERBACK FROM ALL GOOD BOOK RETAILERS.
INSPIRATION
INSPIRATION:
tHEY SAY EVERYONE HAS A BOOK INSIDE THEM
My maternal grandmother was born and raised in Kilkee, County Clare on the west coast of Ireland. My mother spent all of her summers there growing up and so did I. I first visited when I was nine months old and returned every year thereafter. The last time I visited was in August 2015 - it feels like a lifetime ago and my heart aches to go back. I was swimming in one of the 'famous' Pollock Pools in Kilkee when the sky suddenly became very overcast, plunging the cliffs into menacing darkness and turning the ocean silver. My head filled with ideas for a YA fantasy novel and the characters were so vivid, I felt as though I knew them.
hey also say you should write about what you know and I guess that's what I did - to an extent, for what use is an imagination if you don't use it?
I spent the next three years writing and editing ELEMENTS during school holidays (I'm a primary school teacher) and finally finished revisions towards the end of 2018. 2019 was an interesting year and the book was put on hold while I attended to 'life'... and then 2020 happened. Need I say anymore? But, here we are and I couldn't be more excited. Kilkee is my second home and the Pollock Pools are my favourite place in the whole world - they make me feel alive. I chose ELEMENTS as the title for the series for three reasons; firstly I wanted something short and memorable, secondly, my mother always talked about going out in the 'elements' when we went for a walk in Kilkee - the weather was so changeable, often blustery walking along the coast and she'd talk about getting a weather beaten tan. Finally, it refers to the elements featured in the book - water, air, earth and fire. I've poured my heart and soul into this book. I love the sea. I love Kilkee.
While some of the places in this book and references to some historic events including shipwrecks and The Great Hunger are real, this book is largely a work of fiction. All characters and businesses in this book are fictitious and any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
In the galleries below you will find photographs that I've taken during my time in Kilkee and the surrounding areas as well as family photographs from my childhood holidays in Kilkee.
BOOK REVIEWS
CLICK THE ARROWS TO SCROLL
can't wait for the sequel!
i have just finished reading this and it's amazing! Highly recommend if you enjoy a good fantasy read. Great characters and story - haven't been able to put it down each night after work! can't wait for the sequel!!
sophie lewis
I can see this becoming a film!
I TOTALLY LOVED THIS BOOK! THE CHARACTERS WERE REALLY BROUGHT TO LIFE AND THE BEAUTIFUL SETTING I CAN STILL SEE IN MY MIND. I READ THIS BOOK IN ONLY A COUPLE OF DAYS AS IT WAS HARD TO PUT DOWN. THE WAY IT WAS WRITTEN AND THE WAY I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE CHARACTERS MAKES ME COMPARE IT TO THE HARRY POTTER BOOKS. I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE!
rae gamblin
A CAPTIVATING READ!
A CAPTIVATING READ! CLEARLY INSPIRED BY THE AMAZING SCENERY OF THE IRISH COAST, THE AUTHOR TRANSPORTS YOU FROM REALITY INTO A MAGICAL WORLD OF MYSTERY. THIS BOOK IS BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN WITH WONDERFUL USE OF VIVID, DESCRIPTIVE LANGUAGE AND HAS A COMPELLING STORYLINE. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT BOOK!
LYNNE HILL
I AM GRIPPED!
it's great kathryn!
you have such a talent!
YVONNE ANDERSON
I AM HOOKED!!!
KATHRYN AND HER ABILITY TO TAKE YOU OFF INTO ELEMENTS ACQUIESCE WAS AMAZING. I FELT AS THOUGH I WAS SEEING IT ALL UNFOLD IN FRONT OF ME. A MUST READ FOR ANYONE WHO LIKES TO BE TAKEN OFF INTO ANOTHER WORLD. I love it. You are so talented in so many ways. You are an amazing writeR!
ALISON CARTER
MOST TIME SPENT AWAY FROM PHONE
I BOUGHT THIS BOOK FOR MY TWELVE YEAR OLD NIECE FOR CHRISTMAS. HER MUM SAID SHE READ IT IN TWO DAYS AND it WAS THE MOST TIME SHE HAD BEEN AWAY FROM HER PHONE. THAT'S GOT TO BE A GOOD THING.
ANDREA
A FASCINATING FIRST NOVEL
FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, THE READER IS TRANSPORTED INTO A MAGICAL WORLD OF MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE. THE AUTHOR'S SKILFUL USE OF DESCRIPTIVE LANGUAGE AND VIVID IMAGERY MADE IT A JOY TO READ. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT BOOK!
CHRISTINE HILL
VERY DRAMATIC - ONE TO WATCH!
I DIDN'T WANT THIS BOOK TO END. I FELT LIKE I WAS TRANSPORTED TO ANOTHER WORLD - THE CHARACTERS AND SETTING FELT VERY REAL AND THE WAY THE STORY HAS BEEN WRITTEN IS BEAUTIFUL. THE BOOK READs LIKE A FILM - i could easily imagine this on the big screen. very dramatic, dark in places. would definitely recommend this to teens but believe this would be equally enjoyed by older readers as well.
AWAITING THE SEQUEL
READ THIS AHEAD OF GIVING IT TO MY 12 YEAR OLD TO READ AND SHE THEN ENJOYED IT AS MUCH AS I DID. THE AUTHOR CREATES A WONDERFUL FANTASY WORLD WITH PLENTY OF DRAMA. WE ARE BOTH AWAITING THE SEQUEL.
MRS J SOLOMIDES
AMAZING!!
THIS FANTASY NOVEL HAD ME GRIPPED RIGHT FROM THE START. I'M NOT USUALLY ONE FOR READING BOOKS THAT MUCH... THIS ONE GOT ME EXCITED JUST FROM THE BLURB ON THE BACK!! FULL OF MYSTERY AND SURPRISING TWISTS THROUGHOUT, THIS IS A 'MUST READ' FOR ANYONE. IT IS BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND WILL LEAVE YOU WANTING MORE. CAN'T WAIT FOR A SEQUEL!!
VICTORIA BUNGAY
