Hello and welcome back!
I hope everyone’s had a good summer. Here in upstate South Carolina, school is back in session, even as the weather stays stubbornly hot and humid. Autumn’s crisp, dry days and cool nights can’t come soon enough for me.
Last month, I traveled outside the US for the first time since COVID, and it was all that I’d hoped for. The trip was part business and part pleasure – primarily, to take photos of “Kate’s Durham” to share with my readers who haven’t had the privilege of visiting themselves; and to celebrate Ustinov College’s 60th Anniversary. Kudos to the team at Durham University’s Ustinov College who curated a weekend of wonderful and memorable events.
The North East of England and Durham specifically is a very special place, and I’m so pleased to have had the chance to visit after more than ten years. It was also an opportunity to meet some local indie bookshop owners and to spread the word about Saint of Lost Souls. I had the pleasure of meeting Emma, the owner of the lovely Collected Books, a dream of a bookstore and coffee shop, which carries and promotes work written by women.
Durham Brass was also in full swing, with a fabulous assortment of brass bands performing in various venues throughout the city – even on a boat that cruised along the river! The Durham County Council does an amazing job of beautifying the city with a gorgeous variety of floral displays throughout the city, particularly the Market Place. The Market Place is a great spot for an ice cream break on a hot summer’s afternoon or just a bit of people-watching.
I was fortunate to have attended this summer’s inaugural performance of Kynren at Bishop Auckland. It’s an unforgettable, magical trip through the history of the North East. Over a thousand incredible volunteers contribute to the 90-minute show – it is absolutely brilliant.
Kate’s not the only one who loves manuscripts, and I was happy to have timed my visit to coincide with the Durham Cathedral Magna Carta Exhibit at Durham Cathedral and Shakespeare Recovered: Durham’s First Folio exhibit at the Palace Green Library. Both were amazing.
Here are a few of the many photos I took during my visit:
There are more photos and a reel on my author Facebook and Instagram pages, if you’d like to see others.
One Night at Sam’s, my exclusive short story, will soon be available to anyone who submits a specific request through the “Get in Touch” feature of my website. Readers will have the option to choose between a pdf and an EPUB file.
The story is told from the perspective of Kate’s very favorite and everyone’s dream of a bartender, Paolo. Here’s another sneak peak of the cover:
I hope my readers enjoy this short story while I work on the next book in the Kate Barrow series. I’ll send out details as soon as it’s wrapped up and available.
I’ll be busy this weekend at my second author event at the Barnes & Noble, Shops at Greenridge, in Greenville, South Carolina. Thanks to Ashlyn, Ivy, Ariel, and the amazing staff for all their support of indie authors!
Thank you again for being a reader or expressing an interest in my work. Please feel free to get in touch. I reply personally to all emails and will never share your contact details.
Until next time – sending peace and love.
Trish McGarrahan
15 August 2025
*Please note that I don’t have an affiliate relationship with any of the vendors/links provided in this post (aside from the link to Saint of Lost Souls). These are simply places and events I enjoyed and wanted to share with my readers.
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