my next book
it's not regency, not historical at all....and involves CHRISTMAS?!
Hi, everyone—
I’m going to get straight to the point: I have another book coming out in 2024 (yes, I’m very tired, thank you for asking), and today’s the day I can share a bit about it!
book news: introducing . . . christmas is all around
I’ve always toyed with the idea of writing a contemporary rom-com, even though my main focus is (and will likely always be) historicals in various time periods. However, I wasn’t sure if/when I’d ever get around to it, when I have so many (too many?? debatable) ideas for books in my head. But a few months ago, when we were doing the deal for what I thought was going to be my next book, coming in late 2025 (that book is still coming at that time! but I’m not going to tell you anything about it at present, because one thing at a time!), my editor asked if I perhaps had any interest in writing a contemporary Christmas romance…for publication in fall 2024(!).
This question lit up my brain, and I basically said, “Yes, if I can write it about a heroine who hates Christmas and Christmas romances?” And here we are.
Christmas Is All Around answers the question, “What if a child star from Love Actually1 grew up to a) not be an actress, and b) f*cking hate Christmas?” It involves: London at the holidays; a terrible baby niece; a historic house; a deeply melodramatic sister; horrifying Christmas activities; attempts to avoid alllll of said Christmas activities; aggressive Christmas carolers; and a hero who wears glasses.2
You can preorder it here. Would a peek at the cover make you more likely to do so? Voila!
I’ll be sharing more about this book in future months, but honestly: right now the book is not done, I’m still reworking major elements of the plot, I’m on an extremely tight deadline, and talking about the book makes me feel low-key panicky. (This seems healthy!) But I am excited to share it with you later this year! 🎄
five recent faves: music! books! ~culture~!
Outofshapeworthlessloser by Gracie Gold
If you know me irl, you probably know—likely against your will—how much I used to love figure skating. (Ask me about my PERSONALIZED MICHELLE KWAN AUTOGRAPH!!!) I fell out of love with it given its many, many issues over the past 20 or so years, but I still follow it in a vague, v. casual way — which was why I was extremely excited to read the memoir of Gracie Gold (former Olympic bronze medalist). It’s pretty dark & raw & honest (all about her history of depression & eating disorders & all the ways the sport failed her) but also, ultimately, really hopeful. (Also, I think if you, like me, have read other skating memoirs, you will find the contrast between this one and those other ones fascinating.)I feel obliged to make this rec because this has been the entire soundtrack to my work on both of the books I’m currently writing, so it’s essentially all I’m hearing inside my head at the moment. Her music is basically a jazz/pop mashup and I love it; if you haven’t yet seen her Tiny Desk Concert from a few months ago, it was great!
Earls Trip by Jenny Holiday
I don’t think I’ll send another newsletter between now and the end of April (I, quite frankly, will not have time amid my busy schedule of deadlines & deadline-related emotional breakdowns), so let me take this opportunity to recommend an upcoming historical romance that I think fans of my books would really, really enjoy. This book is so charming and genuinely funny, just a total romp, and Holiday centers the friendships in a way that I (unsurprisingly, if you’ve read my work) really adored—it’s the first in a series and I want the next one now.Culture Study podcast
Many of you are probably already Anne Helen Petersen fans — either through her books, or her newsletter — so this feels like kind of a silly recommendation. However! She started a podcast earlier this year (full of content totally separate from her newsletter! you don’t need to consume one to enjoy the other!) and I’ve enjoyed it so, so much but its funding is precarious and I really want her to be able to continue making it, so I’m spreading the word! Last week’s episode was about the entire phenomenon surrounding the ACOTAR books; there have been other recent episodes about: Formula 1; 2000s music; cold plunging; divorce; and lots more! Listening is one of my favorite parts of each week.“Why are kids doing the ‘Brexit tackle’?” from the Guardian
This article is about a month old, but I am sharing it because it made me absolutely cackle with glee when I first read it (I read the opening sentences aloud to a friend who was staying with me at the time and she thought I was making it up at first), and I still laugh whenever I think about it. So please enjoy this tale of British children slide tackling each other while playing soccer/football and screeching “BREXIT MEANS BREXIT!!!!” as they do so.
My editor is in town this week & we went to tea at Brown’s in Mayfair this afternoon, meaning a) I am extremely full; b) I am extremely caffeinated; and c) she got to enjoy the alarming experience of watching me laugh nervously every time the topic of my book came up, which probably means I should get back to work. Hope everyone’s having a happy beginning of spring! (I saw a bunny in Richmond Park the other day so I don’t care if it’s not yet the equinox, I’m declaring it spring!)
xo, Martha
It’s not called Love Actually in the book, obviously. It’s a made-up holiday movie! Please, no one sue me!
As of today! I haven’t turned a draft into my editor yet, so I cannot actually confirm that all of these things will be in the final book. 😬
I LOVE THIS COVER I LOVE THIS CONCEPT OBSESSED WITH ALL OF ITTTTTT
Another book this year?!?! 🥳🥳