The People Next Door

A behind the scenes publication day post

So! The People Next Door is out in the world today after a great run of early reviews on Netgalley. Still, it’s a nervous time and so rather than refresh my amazon author account over and over, I thought I’d jump on Substack and write about the sister story in the novel, and also share some honest publication day photos - a little different to the ones I’m splashing on my instagram story!

I started this book with the idea of two sisters, one of whom has disappeared. It’s a common enough approach, (a sister missing, or a sister in peril - I could make a whole post about books with this premise and maybe I will soon!) but there are a thousand different ways the story could unfold depending on each sister’s character and what kind of relationship they have.

In The People Next Door, Lynette, the missing sister, is seventeen. She’s sassy, independent, and far from close to her younger sister, Genevieve. Aged twelve, Genevieve is quiet and bookish. She remembers when she and Lynette were playmates, but those days are long gone. Now she’s barely allowed in her older sister’s room and it seems like they have nothing in common.

But there’s another sister dynamic at play in the novel. When Lynette goes missing, the first person her mom Sal calls, is her own sister, Jocelyn. These sisters have a shared past full of co-dependency and criticism. Fast forward twenty years, and the ripple effects of what happened to this family continue to play out. Genevieve, now calling herself Jen, is on a mission to find out the truth about what happened to Lynette, but how much is she prepared to risk, and is it really Jocelyn that’s pulling the strings?

The ebook is available on Amazon, and the paperback can be ordered wherever you like to get your books. There’s an audiobook in the works, but no date on that yet.

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In terms of publication day activity, I’ve spent the morning online. I did a little online Q&A with the social media manager at Joffe books, and I’ve been emailing and posting Facebook and instagram ‘stuff’.

But also, my washing machine has broken down!

It gets worse. Bizarre but true - my handyman, Mr Braithwaite, is in Zurich making chocolates at the Lindt factory!!

Which means on this big day I’m left with just cats for company…

..and wondering if I need to update my author photo, because look at that gray hair!!

This one is me hoping my glasses are hiding the wrinkles! And chosing to leave Findlay (cat) in charge of the book:

For this afternoon, I have even greater excitements planned. First, a 45 minute strength workout/torture session from my Peloton friends (we are not friends and I’m dreading this workout). Then, in the real life of this author, I’m going to watch Liverpool play Everton (YNWA), before heading out for cocktails with 2 of my best friends.

That’s my day.

Back to normal sister programming tomorrow.

Kate x