Category: Book News

• Pre-Order Dead Ends & Read It Early at the No. 1 Readers’ Club

  Hi everyone, Psyched to announce that you can pre-order Dead Ends, the sequel to Rotting Trees, for 8th October 2027. You can also read it early via the No. 1 Readers’ Club. From 27th July 2026 we’re holding a book club and discussing Rotting Trees to celebrate the next book in the trilogy. Don’t forget…

  Francesca

  10 July, 2026

  Book News

  Bezzina’s Emporium of Magical Artefacts and Antiquities, Dead Ends, ebook pre-order, Francesca Astraea, Francesca’s Words, indie author, No. 1 Readers’ Club, Rotting Trees, YA author, YA book, YA contemporary fantasy, YA reads

• Signed Books in the Locksbrook Art Shop

  Hi everyone, Chuffed to announce that if you’re in Bath, you can now find signed copies of both Rotting Trees and The Princess and the Dragon and Other Stories About Unlikely Heroes at the Locksbrook Art Shop at Locksbrook campus, Bath Spa University. The shop is a treasure trove so if you’re in the area,…

  Francesca

  2 June, 2026

  Book News, The Princess and the Dragon and Other Stories About Unlikely Heroes

  Francesca Astraea, Francesca’s Words, Locksbrook Art Shop Bath Spa University, Rotting Trees by Francesca Astraea, signed books Bath, signed books Somerset, signed books UK, The Princess and the Dragon and Other Stories About Unlikely Heroes

• Signed Books in Throne & Heart

  Hi everyone, Chuffed to announce that you can find signed copies of The Princess and the Dragon and Other Stories About Unlikely Heroes and Rotting Trees at the brand new Throne and Heart bookshop at the Indoor Market in Market Harborough, Leicestershire. If you’re in the area, go and support an indie bookshop. Throne and…

  Francesca

  1 May, 2026

  Book News

  Francesca Astraea, Francesca’s Words, hrone and Heart bookshop at the Indoor Market in Market Harborough, independent bookshop Leicestershire, Leicestershire indie bookshop, Rotting Trees, signed books, signed YA novels, The Princess and the Dragon and Other Stories About Unlikely Heroes, Throne and Heart Bookshop

• Bezzina’s Emporium Trailer

  Hi hi, Psyched to share this trailer for the Bezzina’s Emporium series, made by the wonderful ValkiriART. Enjoy and find out more about the series here, with the opening chapters of book one, Rotting Trees, available for free.

  Francesca

  28 April, 2026

  Book News

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• Books on RNIB Bookshare

  Hi everyone, I’m excited to announce that both my books are now available on RNIB Bookshare, for free. Bookshare, looked after by the Royal National Institute of Blind People, is an educational resource providing texts in accessible formats (DAISY Audio, Braille Refreshable Format, PDFs, ePub files) for people with visual impairments and learning disabilities. I’ve…

  Francesca

  1 March, 2026

  Book News

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• Gifting Ebooks to Anyone You Buy a Paperback for (Feb ’26)

  As I wrote at the No. 1 Readers’ Club, February is often maligned for its bizarrely commercial focus on couples. Both my novels (Rotting Trees, the first book in the Bezzina’s Emporium trilogy, and The Princess and the Dragon and Other Stories About Unlikely Heroes) explore friendship, so if you send a physical copy of…

  Francesca

  13 February, 2026

  Book News

  Bezzina’s Emporium of Magical Artefacts and Antiquities, book gifting, Books-on-Sea Southend, Carpe Noctem Frome, ebook giveaway, Francesca Astraea, Francesca’s Words, Rotting Trees by Francesca Astraea, The Princess and the Dragon and Other Stories About Unlikely Heroes, Valentine’s alternatives

• Interview with Monica from Spells and Tomes about Rotting Trees

  Hello, I was interviewed by the lovely Monica over at Spells and Tomes, as part of her Indie-R-Views series. If you fancy five minutes of chat about the inspiration behind the Bezzina’s Emporium world, Rotting Trees and the sequel (soooooon), check it out! If you’d like to read Rotting Trees, you can find the sampler…

  Francesca

  1 July, 2025

  Book News

  author interview, Bezzina’s Emporium of Magical Artefacts and Antiquities, Francesca Astraea, Francesca’s Words, indie author interview, Indie-R-Views blog, Smashwords ebook sale, Spells and Tomes, Spells and Tomes book blog

• Half Price Ebook for Read an Ebook Week (until 8th March)

  Hello, As part of the Smashwords Read an Ebook week, you can get the Rotting Trees ebook at a 50% discount until 8th March, with the code EBW50. That’s less than $4! You can find Rotting Trees here, and browse the entire sale catalogue – hundreds of books! – here. As always, if you’re interested…

  Francesca

  5 March, 2025

  Book News

  Bezzina’s Emporium of Magical Artefacts and Antiquities, bookish, ebook discount, ebook sale, Francesca’s Words, read more books, Rotting Trees, Smashwords Read an Ebook Week, YA contemporary fantasy, YA contemporary fantasy fiction

• New Short Story & ‘Rotting Trees’ is out!

  Hello lovely readers, Two good things in a week? It must mean January is finally over. Firstly, my newest short story, Embracing Tradition, is on Patreon for the No. 1 Readers’ Club now. It will be on my stories blog on 17th February, but with 50% off your first month’s membership throughout Feb, why wait…

  Francesca

  3 February, 2025

  Book News, Patreon News

  Books-on-Sea, Carpe Noctem Frome, flash fiction, Francesca’s Words, No. 1 Readers’ Club on Patreon, Patreon creator, Rotting Trees by Francesca Astraea, short story, witchy story, YA novel, young adult book, young adult book series, young adult novel

• Signed Copies of ‘Rotting Trees’ in Carpe Noctem, Frome

  Hello everyone, I’m chuffed to announce that you can find signed copies of Rotting Trees in Carpe Noctem in Frome, Somerset. Carpe Noctem is a fabulous new small business specialising in all things magical – if you tend towards paganism or herbalism, it is an absolute treasure trove (it feels a little bit Bezzina’s Emporium…

  Francesca

  27 January, 2025

  Book News

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