Friday 13th

Well... That's it.

Tomorrow Those Rosy Hours at Mazandaran goes on official release.

You can stay up-to-date on the Rosy Hours Facebook page run by Ghostwoods Books.

If you run a book blog, you can order a review copy of my work or any of Ghostwoods' publications.

There are also chances to win copies at the following blogs (I'll keep adding to the list until the TLC Book Tour ends on 25th February):

• Broken Teepee
• No More Grumpy Bookseller
• Peeking Between the Pages 
• Luxury Reading
• Pagan Writers Network (writing competition)
• Reading Reality

There's also a couple of guest blogs about the background (more to come, check back):

• Sweet Tooth: The Food of Mazandaran
• Dress Code: Costume Research
• The Day of Chaos: Significance of the No.13
• Marketing Rosy Hours - A Publisher's Dilemma
• Cover Story - How the Cover was Designed
• All the Fun of the Fair: Creating an 1800s Circus
• What's in a Name?: Choosing Character Names
• On That Note: The Music of Mazandaran
• Ghostwoods Skype Interview

Couple of interviews:

• Writing Magazine, December 2014 Issue
• Riffle Books
• Pagan Writers Network
• BRIT School Parents' Newsletter (They ordered a copy for their library!)

Also launched my own newsletter, and got reviewed by gnomes, of all things!

The blog tour seems to be going well so far. Only had one duff review from someone who didn't like the main character or reference to magic. All the rest have been really complimentary. 

Some of my favourite blogger quotes have included:

There are some books that in spite of reading synopses and promotional materials seem to defy all expectation. Those Rosy Hours at Mazandaran is one of those books. - No More Grumpy Bookseller 

I found myself at various times enchanted, revolted, horrified, relieved, exulted and most of all thankful that I’d read a book that challenged me as much as this one did. - Broken Teepee

I especially admired 5 Minutes for Books' review, in which the reviewer admitted that the book was a little dark for her tastes, but still found it in herself to says that it was:

[A] dark tale, fantastically written, sumptous and gorgeous but filled with blood and death... if you want to immerse yourself in a glittering, powerful court where cruelty runs in the veins, this is the book you’ll enjoy.

It takes a lot to see the merits in a book you wouldn't ordinarily read. 

However, my favourite review so far has come from an independent Phan (a Phantom of the Opera fan) on CheriePie's Book Reviews:

The writing was superb, written a bit like prose, yet fully descriptive and engaging at the same time. I truly immersed myself in this book, forgetting where I was and feeling myself walking through the sumptuous palace, the streets of Sari, or wherever else the author happened to be describing... This book will definitely be classified as one of my favorite reads.

I don't think I could possibly have done better than that.

Today is Friday 13th. 13 plays a huge part in Rosy Hours - there are thirteen chapters, and Afsar's birthday falls on the Day of Chaos, thirteen days after New Year. 

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Let's hope the planets align to make people fall in love with this book.

It's totally out of my hands now.

Good luck, little book.

I have loved you.