As part of re-releasing my backlist I’ve been going through my books and changing everything—apart from The Sleepless City books as they are set in the US—into UK/NZ English spelling to reflect their settings.

This has turned out to be more of a job than I thought it would be. The common changes like colour/color are no problem, but with some of the other spellings I’ve been second guessing myself and having to refer to my Oxford dictionary which has both variations. The fun words are things like practice/practise, the former being the noun, the latter the verb, remembering to not put a full stop after Mr etc, and using a double l for words like woollen.

Word, being the pain it is, keeps trying to revert to US English in the docs that were originally in it, despite me repeatedly telling the stupid programme that I’m writing in NZ English now.

*sigh*

I still have a few backlist books to go but next year will be alternating the two series I have left to re-release with new Sleepless City world titles. The existing series will be a mix of repubs and new material/books to finally get those completed.

The book I’m working on at the moment while my lovely editor is working on a second edition title, is new, set in New Zealand and originally written in New Zealand English. It’s a lot less work.

I’m also enjoying the Wellington setting, and being able to use Kiwi slang, and locations.

The graphic is courtesy of my Sleepless City partner in crime, Elizabeth Noble, and shows an iconic Wellington backdrop and some of the Kiwisms that Ben, who is from here, uses in the series.

Sweet as.

PS, if you want to read Ben and Simon’s origin story before their new one comes out next year, Shades of Sepia is currently on sale.

Until next month!

Meantime I’d love to see some of you in my readers group and/or signing up for my newsletter.