transparent ship

Of Ships and Sealing Wax Is Now Available as a Paperback or Ebook

 Read the first two chapters!

I’m thrilled to share this review!

“Well executed and briskly paced, and the erotic tension … is impressively palpable. Edward is a delicately drawn protagonist—a sailor naturally constituted for war, he is also surprisingly nuanced and sensitive, and these contradictory inclinations are made entirely plausible by the author. This is a thoroughly enjoyable read—deeply thoughtful and dramatically immersive… genuinely romantic as well as psychologically sophisticated.”

                                                                                                      — Kirkus Reviews

BTW, the Kirkus verdict is “✔️GET IT”.  The entire review was posted online January 30, 2025 and it will be included in the Kirkus Reviews magazine issue of March 15.

After publication — an overdue update

  • A book event, and a bit of a party, on November 23 at Browsers Bookshop in downtown Olympia. Lots of friends and neighbors showed up, I was fortunate enough to be in conversation with Browsers’ magnificent owner, Andrea Griffith, excellent questions were asked, and many books were signed. In short, a dream come true.
  • Of Ships and Sealing Wax was a bestseller at Browsers during the month of November 2024.
  • I have loved hearing about folks’ reading experiences and talking about the book.
  • More news to come, perhaps . . .

Of Ships and Sealing Wax was published as an ebook on October 12 and in paperback on October 16, 2024 

  • November 2, 2024. True confessions: Right before publication, I went off on a long-planned vacation for two weeks so I am just now updating this page, my Facebook author page, and my Instagram profile. BTW, ignore the links at the bottom of this page; they are outdated. I’ll get them fixed but it will have to wait until I have time to query helper people at WordPress.
  • There have been some interesting glitches in getting the book out to independent bookstores and sources other than A****n. If you search the title on Barnes & Noble or Bookshop.org, for example, you will find it and can order — but my name as the author is missing, which is a scandal. A fix is in the works.
  • Most importantly, Of Ships will soon be available from my wonderful local independent bookstore, Browsers Bookshop in Olympia, Washington. You can come to the upcoming event at the store (more info soon) or order directly. I’ll be thrilled to personalize books purchased at Browsers.
  • Stay tuned for more news!! It’s likely my author page on Facebook will be updated first and more frequently, so please follow me there!

Land Ho! You can now preorder the ebook (paperback coming soon) ~ September 27, 2024

  • I’m so excited to announce that Meryton Press has just made Of Ships and Sealing Wax available for preorder on Amazon. The release date is set for October 12 and, since this is my debut novel, that will be a red-letter day. I won’t say exactly how long this journey has been, but years to write and years to find a publisher. In short, I am the poster girl for Do. Not. Give. Up. If you are a writer, keep writing and have faith in yourself and your story.
  • Would you like to see the cover? I absolutely love it and am immensely grateful to Janet Taylor at Meryton for her stunning cover design.

Front cover

A Dispatch That Means Business ~ September 17, 2024

  • I think it’s safe to say that this novel is about to make landfall. The cover has been finalized and the finishing touches are being added to the contents. The team at Meryton has helped to steer me home.  Soon, the cover will be revealed (spoiler: I love it) and the ebook will be available for pre-order. Shortly after that, the paperback will be available from the usual sources as well as your friendly independent bookstore. In the Olympia area, that’s Browser’s Bookshop. More news soon!

N.B. ~ March 2, 2024

  • Since the final edit and formatting are well underway, I’ve updated the first two chapters (click here) to reflect those changes. There’s not a lot of difference, but it’s nice to have everything “shipshape”!

Another (Interim) Dispatch ~ February 26, 2024

  • What have I been doing in the months since I began editing Of Ships and Sealing Wax back in August? You might well ask! Editing, editing, and more editing — with time out to recover from surgery for a knee replacement. Not recommended timing, by the way, but it could not be helped!
  • I was out of commission for about eight weeks, but my excellent editor from Meryton Press kept working, so we did not fall too far behind schedule. I got back to my desk right after Christmas. We’ve finished up the major editing work, so now it’s on to formatting and the final edit.
  • The next big event will probably be revealing the book’s cover and sometime after that, I will learn the likely publication date. I can’t wait to share this news when it’s available!

Dispatches ~ Big News at Last ~ August 15, 2023

  • I’m over the moon to say that Of Ships and Sealing Wax will be published by Meryton Press sometime in early 2024. Have a look at my author page at Meryton or go here to read a little more about the book. The cover you see there is temporary. At some point there will be a “cover reveal” and more specific information on the publication date.
  • As they say, watch this space. Updates on publication, the cover, and getting the book in your hands will be posted here as soon as that news is available. Right now, I am editing!

Dispatches ~ Updated August 6, 2023

  • News is coming. Good news is coming and it’s coming very soon.

Previous Dispatches ~ February 5, 2023:

  • It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since I updated this page. To be fair, about three of those years consisted of pandemic, lockdown, sheltering — whatever you like to call it. Last September, I learned that Of Ships and Sealing Wax was shortlisted for the 2022 Novel London Competition. What a thrill to be among such talented authors and to read an excerpt of my novel at the London Festival on October 1 (via Zoom). Nope, it didn’t win, but I enjoyed every aspect of participating.
  • At the moment, I no longer have an agent. I so appreciate everything my former agent Gail Fortune has done for me, but it’s a tough market and I decided to set her free.
  • In 2018, I spent most of April traveling in the UK, primarily Scotland. This was not a research trip, though it certainly whetted my appetite to take one. If you’re interested, I’m posting highlights from London, York, Edinburgh and other Scottish locales over on The Blue Chair Blog (that’s me in real life). Hop on over and take a look!

Previous Dispatches ~ April 3, 2018:

  • Of Ships and Sealing Wax was a semi-finalist for the Eludia Award from Hidden River Arts.  This award is given to an unpublished first novel or story collection by a woman over 40. Congratulations and good luck to all of the finalists!
  • With Of Ships and Sealing Wax sailing out in search of a home, it is time to begin writing a new tale. Early days yet, but it is exciting to be engaged with a new writing venture.

Previous Dispatches ~ February 6, 2018:

  • I’m proud to announce that Of Ships and Sealing Wax is represented by Gail Fortune at the Talbot Fortune Agency. I know Gail will be a terrific champion for this book and I could not be happier.

Previous Dispatches ~ November 2017:

Of Ships and Sealing Wax recounts the homeward journey of a British Naval Officer at the time of the French Revolutionary Wars. The year is 1795, and Captain Edward Trewin has just set foot on English soil for the first time in a year. The hell of it is, he has fallen out with his wife and can’t quite bring himself to go home.

What was once a work-in-progress became a finished manuscript in 2017. This website allows me to take you along on a voyage of discovery as we see what happens next. I’m happy to have you aboard.

You can now read an excerpt from the manuscript, and as I get more organized, I’ll point you to some music of the period (or music that inspired me) on Spotify, and show you some period images on Pinterest. You can also find me on Twitter and Instagram, or see what I’m reading on Goodreads. Scroll down to find the social media buttons.

You will find updates and posts about Of Ships and Sealing Wax on the blog linked here and at the top of the page.

To read a little more about me, click here or follow the “About” link at the top of the page.

I’ll continue to write from time to time at The Blue Chair Blog and I invite you to visit me there, where my most frequent topics are books, writing, travel, and the Pacific Northwest. The two sites will cross-reference each other from time to time, but for the most part, the content is distinct.

Your comments are welcome. Civility is highly esteemed.

All the best,

Suzanne