Reflections on Captain Lacey, New Boxed Set, and Storewide Audio Sale

Over the weekend, as I was updating my web store and making some Captain Lacey audio bundles available (more on that later), I realized how very far we’ve come.

Many years ago, I received the first box of The Hanover Square Affair in the mail from my publisher, and I cried.

There it was, the story about this calvary captain that I’d dreamed of for so long, and labored over during worldwide and personal crises, in a box on my doorstep (and in bookstores!).

I never thought I’d finish that book or that anyone would publish it. Or thought the publisher would offer for five more books of the series. Imagine my terror when I had to write book two! (After that, it got easier.)

My publisher dropped the series like a hot potato after book six (A Covent Garden Mystery), saying the sales weren’t what they wanted. Actually they announced they wanted no more when I was in the middle of writing book six. And I cried again.

I had to put the series aside while I wrote other things in my Jennifer Ashley life, but I kept coming back to Captain Lacey, wondering if I could sell to another publisher or if this newfangled self-publishing thing would amount to anything.

But, do you know what brought Captain Lacey back to life? Readers and my newsletter.

The first six books might not have lived up to publisher expectations (they decided “historical mystery didn’t sell”), but people read the books, liked them, and wrote me to tell me so. They also joined my newsletter list to be informed in case the series ever continued. I kept that list on a spreadsheet on my computer, and when self-publishing let me re-publish the first six books, I sent out a timid email to those on that list saying they were available again, and that I was working on Book 7 (A Death in Norfolk).

The response was amazing! So many people purchased Hanover Square online, around the world, and then went on to A Regimental Murder, and the next book, and the next.

Encouraged, I wrote and published A Death in Norfolk, and also The Necklace Affair, a story I’d written while sitting around on jury duty waiting to be called. (I revised and expanded the story, and I was never called to be a juror on that case.)

By the time I wrote book 10 (The Thames River Murders), the books started to hit the USA Today bestseller list! (I didn’t cry this time, I just rejoiced.)

I was so pleased that so many readers went back to a series the publishers threw away and showed me how much they enjoyed the books. I am exceedingly grateful.

So, this weekend, as I was bundling up Captain Lacey audio books on my store, it struck me that I’d never have believed way back then, as a brand new and scared author, that I’d be on Book 18 (Murder on the Rhone), with e-books, paperbacks, and audio books, plus German and French translations of the entire series, and I’d be offering the books not only on retailers worldwide but on my own web store.

It made me stop and think about where it all began, and how far Captain Lacey and I have come.

I am now brainstorming Book 19, which will have a cover and tentative release date as soon as I can pin down the title.

The point of this ramble is to express my profound gratitude for those who support Captain Lacey, and if you’re not a reader of that series, then Ashley Gardner in general (and Jennifer Ashley when I’m writing all her books).

Which Brings me to …

Storewide Audio sale and a New Boxed Set

1) All Audio Books are 3.99 on my Web Store!

All Audio books on my web store are discounted to 3.99 (US$, other currencies will be the equivalent). Every single Audio Book, from Captain Lacey, to Leonidas the Gladiator, to Below Stairs Mysteries, Stormwalker, Mackenzies, Shifters, Riding Hard (and anything else). Every audio book, regardless, is 3.99.

You can read these on the Bookfunnel app on your device of choice. (See https://bookfunnel.com/help/ for assistance with that.)

Find all my audiobooks here: https://geni.us/xqKYB

I have bundled audiobooks for further savings

Captain Lacey Audio Bundles: https://geni.us/kyH1Af

Leonidas the Gladiator Audio Bundle: https://geni.us/ysx2Ekx

Below Stairs Mysteries Audio Bundle: https://geni.us/2X3gbG

Riding Hard Audio Bundle

Shifters Unbound Audio Bundles

Stormwalker Audio Bundle

Mackenzies / McBrides Audio Bundle

Grab now before I come to my senses and restore the full prices.