My beautiful, thoughtful, wonderful author friend Arlem Hawks posted on her Instagram account her word of the year. She's done this several years in a row, and after the disaster that was 2020, I've decided I want to join this tradition. 

But I'm terrible at following rules and guidelines, so I chose two words. (I'm also indecisive.) The two words I've chosen are HOPE and LIGHT. I thought about it for a while. They're simple words, and they've been part of my life for a long time, so purposefully embracing them for this coming year felt like the right thing. 

I immediately set on two quotes for my words, too. 

Light, of course, reminded me of Victor Hugo's quote which I've put above, with a photograph of two of my children playing in the light and water of the Atlantic Ocean. 

My other chosen word reminded me of the Emily Dickinson poem: 

“Hope” is the thing with feathers - (314)BY EMILY DICKINSON
“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.

What would your words be?

Twice a year I put my paperbacks on sale in the US and Canada (those are the only markets where it's easy to figure out what constitutes a good sale price). THIS week is the first time in 2020 there will be a sale. Next time, it will be just before Christmas. That means if you just can't wait to get your hands on some Sally Britton paperbacks, and you're counting your pennies, NOW is the time!

Anyone who purchases copies this week may forward their receipt to my assistant, and we will mail you signed book plates! 

Find the Paperback Sale HERE. Full price and sale price listed. Email my assistant HERE.

The above image is the moment when Sir Isaac Fox and Millicent Edgewood meet for the first time. She's come to spy on the baronet, not realizing the uppity groundsman is, in fact, Sir Isaac. 

This one - oh, I adore this one! This is the scene in the churchyard. Spoiler: They're about to realize just how much they mean to each other. 

This is my personal opinion. But I hold strong to it. There are so many people who are talented, producing artwork in a variety of mediums and genres, whose art is stolen, manipulated, under-appreciated, or people expect to get it for free. I've seen this in the writing world - I receive emails from people requesting I make my book free for them or suggested my prices (2.99-4.99) are "too much." When did we start devaluing the work of people's hearts and talents?

The above images were sketched, resketched, practiced, presented to me for my thoughts and input, and then finally inked. Effort went into these images. Talent, not sprung from the ground but laboriously improved upon over a long period of time, was employed here. 

​I love helping other indies by supporting the beautiful work that they do.