Just a reminder that my book launch for my debut novel, Gods of Avalon Road will be on from 6-8pm at Waterstones Belfast. Hope you can come and celebrate with me! 
The hardest thing about writing fantasy is making the reactions of your protagonists ring true: as a writer, the challenge is to imagine, how would a normal human react to an abnormal situation? Gods of Avalon Road is an urban fantasy set in modern day London; the characters are everyday, people-next-door types.
One of my protagonists, Kerry, finds a 2000 year old golden artefact by the Thames. Since writing the novel, I have learned that mudlarks – people who scour the Thames for historical finds, or even treasure – need to have a permit to do so. If my main character Kerry were a real person, she would surely have been arrested for pocketing a valuable archaeological object from the Thames!
Q: Where did you get the inspiration for your latest novel?
A: Gods of Avalon Road began life as a short story. Initially it was a horror piece of around 6000 words about a student who experienced ghostly events in her new flat; she began research to find out why, discovering that pagan rituals had taken place and resurrected a long dead spirit. In the end, this piece was left unfinished as it kept getting bigger and bigger: I decided I had enough ideas to make it into a novel, but needed a new focus. A few years later, I decided to lift the three main characters and plug them into a new idea that crystallised while I was on a long walk near the Thames by Wandsworth Bridge. Inspired by a few real locations, I decided to set the story in a fictional house in Avalon Road and once the ball was rolling, the ideas began to connect into a comprehensible chapter plan, which I outlined and it took off from there.
Have you read Gods of Avalon Road? If you liked it, please consider leaving a review on Amazon, Goodreads, Waterstones, etc. You’d be making a very grateful author happy!
Now that it’s November, it’s officially my book launch month! Signed copies of my debut novel, Gods of Avalon Road, will be available from Waterstones Belfast and the event will run from 6-8pm. Come along for wine and a few excerpts to celebrate my new book!
Photo credit: Emma Mason
Gods of Avalon Road is set during the Mayday festival of Beltaine, but since Samhain was another important time of year for the Celtic Pagans in my debut novel, here’s a Halloween themed promo photo to celebrate the season:
The Grim Reaper has his copy of Gods of Avalon Road – have you? 🎃
While we’re on the topic, my novella Zombie Reflux is another good Halloween story, and free to read on Kindle.
Want a good Halloween read? My novella Zombie Reflux is now free to read on Kindle.
The promotion is in place until January, so if you fancy a good comedy-horror satirical read for Samhain, then enjoy!
October 28, 2019
‘Supernatural’ archaeological discovery in London – Gods of Avalon Road more relevant than ever!
Yesterday an article appeared in the Independent about a new archaeological discovery made in London. Evidence of a hoard found in a Bronze Age temple suggests worship of a deity connected with the Thames during the Bronze Age and Iron Age in London.
My new novel, Gods of Avalon Road, is set in London; one of the protagonists, Kerry, finds a 2000 year old mysterious sacrificial object in the Thames – an Iron Age idol.
Since my book, a cross-genre historical fiction and urban fantasy debut, was inspired by a love of archaeology and mythology, it’s great to know that current research gives the novel more authenticity. A writer always loves their work to be relevant!
It’s finally here… publication day has come and my book, Gods of Avalon Road, is officially launched! 🎉🍾 Paperback copies are now available to order from all major bookstores and it’s out as an Ebook at Amazon.
It’s an amazing feeling to see my published novel finally out in the world. What started life as a short story 9 years ago has grown into a fully-fledged debut novel. My brain baby has birthed as a book. Aww! What a sentimental mummy I am!
Leilanie Stewart 