It's Mad May - How do you celebrate it?

Hello from the Writing Room.

I hope you are well.

Today is Polling Day in the UK when people in most parts of the country can vote for candidates to run local councils. There are also parliamentary elections in Scotland and Wales. By tomorrow the UK will know who runs our councils. Watch out for some political upheavals. Fascinating!

This month is all about reading, and the great books that are out there. According to The National Year of Reading 2026, we can all enjoy better health by reading more books.

If you love mystery and suspense, you can choose from more than 70 FREE novels right here.

And of course, all the latest news about the forthcoming Loveday Mystery, Dangerous Inheritance, is below.

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Tomorrow’s Flora Day in Cornwall may have nothing to do with this month’s Rena Writes theme of reading, but it is a joy I’m happy to share with you.

At the heart of Flora Day is the Furry Dance when local couples dress up in style and process in a series of dances that weave through Helston town’s streets, shops and even homes.

The word “Furry” is believed to come from the Cornish word fer, meaning “fair” or “feast”. The dances symbolise the return of life and light after the dark winter months.

Does your town host any quirky Spring celebrations? Tell us in the comments box below.

Did you know you can reduce your stress by reading for only 5 minutes a day? So say the organisers of National Year of Reading and I’m definitely with them.

Reading whatever, whenever, for as long as you want, can have lasting benefits for your health and mental wellbeing, as well as being a really fun pastime!

There are so many benefits to reading, even for a short amount of time. In this National Year of Reading, the organisers are encouraging you to read for your health and mental wellbeing.

For more information visit the website here!

Speaking of reading, I am still busy with the edits of the new Loveday Mystery, Dangerous Inheritance. I love this title, but I’m not sure how it will sit on the book cover. Maybe too many letters? What do you think? I’d love to read your suggestions for a similar, but edgy title, in the comments box below.

If you want to know a bit about my editing routine, here it is…

My first rule involves formatting the manuscript to look as professional as possible ie: Name and title in header, numbered pages, unfussy font, dialogue properly set-out and paragraphs indented as they would be in a published book. I try to make my manuscript look beautifully crisp and professional right from the off. It all makes for a more pleasant read-through.

Edit One - is a complete read through, seeing book as the reader might.

Edit Two - is a print out of the whole thing because it’s so much easier to read on paper than on the screen. I read it again, using the wide margins for jotting notes / changing paragraphs/ adding or subtracting scenes etc.

Edit Three - is structural one to fix plot holes and strengthen characters.

Edit Four – is a word by word, line by line check / putting it through ProWritingAid / spell check.

If it’s been a particularly difficult edit I might put it through another ProWritingAid edit.

The MS then gets emailed to Wendy, my professional copy editor.

My fabulous ARC Team also receive a copy at this time and after reading the book they will comment on any little glitches they find. (An invaluable help!)

When Wendy returns the proofs, I will work with the copy again. And then, after a final revision, and only when I’m satisfied my book is as good as it can possibly be, I publish it.

And that’s all there is to it… Phew!

Above - Ella Maisy Purvis, the main character in Patience, in the dramatic setting of York Minster.

If you enjoy a crime drama with a difference you may have already found Patience. The character is an Autistic criminal records archivist played by Ella Maisy Purvis, who works with City of York Police, bringing her unique insight to a series of perplexing cases.

The good news is she’s coming back with ten episodes in a highly anticipated third series of this acclaimed drama on Channel 4.

Ella May Purvis brings a rare authenticity to the screen as a neurodivergent actor (autistic with ADHD), playing a neurodivergent character.

I love this series with its intense storylines, complex characters and of course those amazing settings in the beautiful city of York.

Take the darker path to the world of mystery and suspense.

My Jack Drummond thriller, Witchling, is one of those 70 plus FREE books on offer this month.

DI Jack Drummond stared at the horned figure and shivered. The man was dead, pinned to a wall high above an altar in a room deliberately staged to celebrate the Pagan Festival of Samhain.
Was it witchcraft? Or was that just what the killer wanted them to believe?
Sienna Wilde’s son, Pagan, is the murder victim, and her daughter Raven is missing.
So why are the authorities trying to shut down Drummond’s investigation just when he and his team of detectives Nick Rougvie and Kes Crombie, are beginning to untangle the knots of the case?
Are they intervening to protect Sienna’a partner, self-proclaimed Highland Seer, Elias Finlay? The couple are High Priest and Priestess of their coven and claim to have powers to control those around them. But do they? Could they be connected to the killings? Or is somebody deliberately staging the murder scenes to guide detectives away from the truth?

This is your link to chose your special books.

I hope you’ve found this Rena Writes Newsletter interesting enough to recommend it to family and friends. All new readers are welcome - and there’s a bonus of two free books waiting for new subscribers on my website - renageorge.com

May is my birthday month, which will special again because all my family will be here with me. Families just make everything special!

And don’t forget, if you like what you’re reading tick that “Like” button below.

Happy Reading…