I have been meaning to start this. A place to talk about what I am thinking, doing, what I am building, and what is coming next. Not a polished sales pitch. Not a carefully worded blurb designed to make you click something. Just me, sitting at a desk in Northern England, writing about… well, about writing. Maybe other observations in life will also creep in. Please feel free to email and shout at me if it's too much.
If you have found your way here, you either know my books or you are about to. You could also have ended up here by mistake, but I will brush over this possibility for now. Either way, welcome. Pull up a chair. There is no tea. Oh, and if you have read The Other Lotus Girl, you might think I like Earl Grey! I don't particularly.
Three books are out in the world now. The first was Janus Origin: Threads of Control. Nathan runs a cafe in Preston. Lan walks through his door wearing a necklace identical to his. Things go sideways from there. Memory, manipulation, identity, and a love story that might have been programmed into both of them. That one took me longer to write than I will ever admit. Oh, and my favourite character to write? That would be Marcus, of course. It's funny because when I started, he didn't exist. Then I got to a point where I felt the story needed something… more. That's when I came up with Marcus, and I am so glad I did.
The sequel, Red River Secrets, picks up where Threads of Control left off and moves the whole thing to Vietnam. Hanoi. Hue. The Perfume River. It came out last week. It has zero reviews so far, which is fine. The people who need to find it will find it.
Then there is The Other Lotus Girl. Different series. Different tone. A trafficked Vietnamese woman called Van throws herself into a stranger's car on an ordinary Thursday evening in Guildford. Stuart was only going out for Earl Grey. Now he is driving a battered Nissan Micra through the night with his husband, a sharp-tongued seventy-three-year-old, and a woman the wrong people want back. It is the book I am most proud of. Readers' Favourite gave it five stars. The Wishing Shelf Book Awards made it a finalist for 2026. I find out if it wins on the 1st of April, which feels strange to me. Winning awards wasn't something I had thought would happen to me.
It's also the book that's had the most touching reviews… and the harshest. One reader, who I won't lie, made me feel genuinely emotional about her response, ended her review with this: 'There is the grit, fear and urgency to the pace of this read. You are tripping over yourself read more, know more, soak in more. But there is also those moments of the heart. Strength in the relationships that are so stand out for me they are beautiful. This book held my heart and soul and both gripped and hugged them both. What a clan to help this woman. What a group formed. Just wow. This book was so much more to me, meant so much more to me that I could have envisaged going in. This book reminds me how lucky we are to have brilliant authors who give us fantastic books. I loved this!'
But of course the good always comes with the bad. 'I found the two parts of the story too incongruous to fully appreciate this novel. If I was just reading the chapters from the past, I would accept it as a tragic story. Whereas if I was just reading the chapters from the present, I would accept it as a humorous story. I simply could not cope with a character's tragic past being transformed into a slapstick chase scene.'
Ouch… Yes, it hurt at the time. When you've spent so much time and given so much to a story, a part of you wants to jump up and defend it. But of course, you can't. I respect the person's views; I am glad they took the time to read it. No book is for everyone. I mean 'slapstick chase scene' is not true; it's British people dealing with how British people often deal with pressure, with an element of humour. But the review acts as a way for people who don't understand this to not read it. It's my intention to create enjoyment. But of course, it won't be for everyone. This is why I make sure I show honest reviews on my website. I don't want people buying my book who won't enjoy this type of story. Everyone's views are worthwhile, and I thank all who are willing to take the time to read my work and give an opinion.
The Other Lotus Girl is also a full-cast audio drama. New episodes are releasing regularly. Not as regular as I would like. It's hard work balancing writing, podcast creation, and book promotion by yourself. You can listen for free on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music. If you are not sure whether my writing is for you, that is the easiest way to find out. Press play on Episode 1. If Stuart and Van do not grab you in the first ten minutes, fair enough. No hard feelings. It costs you nothing.
A fourth book is happening. The Other Lotus Girl: A Cuckoo's Nest. The search for Mai. Cuckooing. County lines. It goes to darker places than the first. I am deep in edits, and it is fighting me at every turn, which usually means it is going to be good. Or terrible. One of the two.
This blog is called From My Desk because that is exactly what it is. Writing updates. The real places behind the fiction. Honest thoughts about what it is actually like trying to build something from nothing as an indie author. The wins, the failures, and the bits in between where you stare at a screen wondering if anyone will ever read what you wrote. As well as my thoughts on other things in life, I will try to keep it varied and interesting.
If you want to know when something happens before anyone else does, join the Inner Circle. You get a free copy of Janus Origin. 10% off everything in my shop. Early chapters cover reveals and the odd surprise I have not thought of yet. I will not spam you. I barely have time to write the books, never mind bombard people with emails!
If you have reached this far, then you've done better than I expected. Once again, thank you for sticking with me. For following me on this journey. Let's hope it's a good one.
Daniel